


The Mask

by witch_brew



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Adventure, Angst, Arcadia - Freeform, Cat, Evil, F/M, Fantasy, Mask, NSFW later on, Shadows - Freeform, Slow Burn, ask to tag, jareth is a good guy now, sarah has a cat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-17 15:25:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 44,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13079796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witch_brew/pseuds/witch_brew
Summary: Sarah is hit with a curse and the only way to break it is to get Jareth to tell her he loves her. Only, he must say it before Samhain. And he won't know who she is.





	1. White Rabbit

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally uploaded to fanfiction dot net. It's being re-posted here for multiple reasons, but mainly because this is where I do the majority of my writing now. This story belongs to me.

Chapter One: White Rabbit

Sarah was huddled in her favorite chair, sipping on warm pumpkin pie flavored coffee and re-reading a book. It was a horror story, which she'd later find nauseatingly ironic. Outside the wind was blowing somewhat violently, and during the commercial breaks on the radio- which Sarah had turned to the Halloween station to get into the proper spirit- there were frequent warnings to those outside to get indoors, because there was a big storm on the way. Luckily, it was about thirteen days until Halloween, so there wouldn't be any trick-or-treaters out that night.

Sarah jumped a little at the loud boom of thunder outside, dropping her book. A few feet away Felix, her cat, lifted his head. She'd gotten him when he was a kitten, on the day she moved into her apartment. He was a lovely little thing. A stray kitten of no specific breed. Apparently when the shelter had found him he'd been badly injured. He'd healed up, but the tip of his tail was long gone. As Sarah picked up her book, he meowed pitifully. He didn't like storms either.

"It's alright, Fe. Just a little thunder."

But something about that statement felt like a lie. Sarah shifted uneasily in the chair, glancing around. There was nothing- wait. Sarah turned quickly to stare into the doorway leading into the kitchen. She could swear she saw something small and white dart through the door.

Felix hissed suddenly, springing up and taking off in the opposite direction. Sarah tried not to acknowledge the fact that something had just scared the shit out of her cat. She stood up and walked on tip toe into the kitchen, tensing up when she entered the dark room. It was impossible to see anything other than shapes, but she was fairly certain that there was another human- or something- in the room. Sarah took a deep breath before reaching out and flicking on the lights.

She expected it to be like all the other times she'd done this throughout her life, just pure paranoia. Nothing there. A trick of the eye.

This time there was someone there.

She was tall and so thin that Sarah could see her collarbones and was fairly certain her thumb and pointer finger would meet if she wrapped them around the woman's wrist. Her hair was silky, black, and fell down her back in waves. Her skin was the color of chalk, and looked at smooth and breakable as porcelain. Her lips were aristocratic and set in a pout, her ears pointed, and her slanted eyes, lined with the markings of the fey, were completely black. As Sarah stared, the woman smiled brightly, revealing pointed canines. The air seemed to shimmer darkly around her, and Sarah noted with mild horror that her skin had thin cracks running up any visible skin, a few of them beginning to form on her face.

"Who- who are you?" Sarah gasped, taking a step back.

The terrifying woman stood slowly, and Sarah shuddered as the woman smiled widely, the cracks spreading slightly with a crinch as she did.

"I have many names, Sarah Williams, but you may call me Cady. I'm here to give you a gift."

Sarah stared at the woman, fear and distrust seeping into her bones, chilling her skin. She decided that Cady was far too sweet a name for something so disgustingly creepy and dark.

"What kind of gift?"

The woman paused, running a hand over Sarah's kitchen counter, nails lightly tapping in an odd rhythm.

"Well, it's more like a game. I'm going to give you a chance to win back your... Goblin King. You'll have thirteen days to do it, and you may take your... feline with you."

The way she said it made it sound far too easy, and even though Sarah missed Jareth terribly, she didn't dare think things would be that simple.

"What's the catch?"

Cady's smile faltered a bit, and when she met Sarah's eyes, her own obsidian gaze was like ice.

"You will have to wear a mask, so he will know not who you are. You will not be able to speak with words, and you will not be able to tell him who you are. If he does not admit he loves you by the thirteenth hour of the thirteenth day, you will be mine to do with as I please."

Sarah couldn't help it, she laughed. Not long, not even loud. It was more a terrified little snort.

"No."

Cady looked taken aback, and she tiled her head to the side in an eerie sort of way.

"Excuse me?"

"I said no." Sarah repeated, taking a deep breath and attempting to sound vaguely respectful. "Thank you for the offer, but I don't want to play."

There was a long moment of silence before Cady started laughing. It wasn't a cackle, but it was just as creepy. It was a pretty, childish laugh, but it was cruel and there was something just wrong about it. Just as suddenly as it started, it stopped, and Cady met Sarah's gaze again.

"I apologize for letting you think you had a choice in the matter." She said firmly and meanly. "You don't."

She started walking towards Sarah, and in turn Sarah started backing away.

"You see Sarah, Samhain is near. We faerie folk do enjoy playing tricks during this most lovely of holidays, so I am afraid this is going to happen whether you say yes or not. No, puppet, just relax and this shouldn't hurt."

Cady hurled something black and evil at Sarah, and it hit her, wrapping around her. Sucking her breath away.

Before Sarah could scream, the darkness overwhelmed her.


	2. Face The Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finding herself back in the Undergound, Sarah's adventure truly begins when she meets up with an old foe. Only, he's not her foe anymore, is he?

Chapter Two: Face The Stranger

When Sarah opened her eyes, she knew exactly where she was. The walls of the Goblin City stretched above her, and she could here the rabble of goblin citizens milling about. She slowly sat up, and upon attempting to grumble irritably, she found she couldn't speak.

So Cady hadn't been lying then.

She looked down at her clothes and scoffed. Cady'd put her in a green peasant's dress. She looked like a servant in some mid evil fantasy. Great.

She glanced searchingly around until she found a unusually reflective puddle, and when she peaked into it, she gasped. A smooth, skin colored mask covered her face, vanishing seamlessly into her dark hair. Only it was unlike any mask she'd ever seen. It appeared to be perfectly attached to where her face should be, and when she tried winking, she noted the beady, completely circular black eye of the 'mask' blinking too. It was eerily smooth, and felt similar to porcelain when she ran a finger over it. There was no mouth, and the nose was a thin, pointy thing that was about as long as her pinky finger.

As Sarah looked on, she felt fear seeping through her, the strong sort of fear and hopelessness one gets when they know they are going to lose. A single tear fell from her new eye, running down her fake face before falling into the puddle and shattering her reflection with an abrupt ripple.

She only let herself wallow for a moment, though, before taking a deep breath- through her nose, since the mask lacked a mouth- and standing.

'Well. Come on, feet.' She thought, repeating something she'd said the last time she'd been in the Underground.

The young woman stood up, brushing off her dress, and started through the Goblin City, glancing around. She wondered if she could find an inn around. Or some money for an inn.

She knew it'd take some effort to get into the castle. Maybe she could... somehow get a job there? As she walked, she remembered something Cady-her mind automatically added the word 'bitch' with the name- had said before forcefully returning Sarah to the Underground.

As if responding to her thoughts, Felix gracefully jumped off of the wall beside her, the small cat giving her a look that said he knew she'd forgotten him, and was very offended.

'I'm sorry, Felix. I was so upset I almost left you here.' She knew the cat couldn't hear her thoughts, but hoped her 'Sorry I forgot you' pet would be enough.

Felix tilted his head to the side, then meowed politely before turning and walking away. Sarah, concerned for the well-being of her cat, followed.

Felix lead her through the city, towards the Goblin King's castle. Sarah attempted to take in the scenery as they passed, and took note of how much the city had improved since her last visit. It now resembled the cities the local Renaissance Fair would put together.

Sarah's attention was drawn back to her cat as they neared the castle, and she tried to speed up in an attempt to stop him before he...

Felix darted through the castle door, which was open just a crack.

Sarah skidded to a stop, green eyes wide with alarm and worry. Her cat had just entered the Goblin King's castle.

She'd have to go in after him.

Even though Sarah knew she'd have to go in soon, she hadn't expected to be forced inside so soon. By her own cat, who had, Sarah decided, turned traitor.

But he was still her cat. So, after taking a few steadying breaths, Sarah Williams entered the castle, pulling the door to behind her, to make sure no other stray kitties- or goblins- wandered inside.

She had a bit of difficulty finding it, but she soon found herself in the large throne room she'd seen on her first trip. It was empty today, though the straw, mysterious fluid, and feathers everywhere gave her the strong impression that the goblins had been there recently.

Jareth was sitting in his throne, petting Sarah's cat.

If Sarah had a mouth, currently, it would've been hanging open in a very shocked, offended way. Felix, the traitor, had the audacity to look pleased with himself. Like the time he'd brought Sarah that not-all-the-way-dead pigeon. And then killed it in front of her.

Before Sarah could do anything, Jareth looked up at her. His kingly smirk was quite firmly in place, but his gloved hand continued petting the cat. He looked like a James Bond villain, but with more glitter. And hair. And tighter pants.

"Is this feline yours?" He asked, voice just a rich, melodious, and cruel as Sarah remembered.

She nodded quickly, giving Felix her best 'you're dead glare'. Either the mask took away from her glaring ability, or her cat did not care. Sarah got the feeling both were true.

"Hmm. That mask, it is a curse. A strong one."

Sarah nodded again, looking away from him. He'd make her leave now, for sure. A curse could bring nothing good.

"I will have Arcadia's head, someday. She continues to harm without cause, often within my kingdom. All because I do not love her." Jareth sounded disgusted, standing suddenly.

Felix darted away in a streak of fur, but neither Jareth nor Sarah paid him any mind. Sarah's mind was reeling. Jareth knew Cady? Arcadia? And she was in love with him?

Ew.

"I don't know what to call you." Jareth looked annoyed by that, and Sarah smiled. Sort of. The eyes of the mask crinkled happily.

Not having a mouth was very, very strange.

Sarah was so absorbed in her mouthlessness that she didn't notice Jareth's approach until she felt his hand running lightly over her mask. Her senses were dulled there, but she still lost her breath as he touched her.

"Hm. This prevents you from speaking. I suppose I'll have to name you myself. Well, until I have a name for you, I think you'll just have to stay here."

He seemed quite sure of that statement. Sarah felt her weird little mask-eyes widen.

Jareth smiled, and it wasn't that whole... evil villain smile. It was almost nice.

"I can be kind, just as I can be cruel, pet. Hobble will lead you to your room. You may wander as you please, but if you find yourself in the garden do be careful. Some of the things in there are very dangerous. Also, try not to cause too much trouble, will you? I'm preparing for Samhain, and if you somehow manage to mess up my ballroom, or anything in my kitchen, you will see just how cruel I can be."

Now THAT sounded like the Jareth Sarah remembered. She scowled as best as she could, and nodded. Hoggle had somehow entered the room unnoticed, and he gave a gruff 'hullo' to Sarah, obviously not knowing who she was, before leading her away from Jareth and the wrecked throne room.

Step one: Get inside castle. Check.

Step two: Get Jareth to confess his love for her.

Sarah was completely and utterly fucked.


	3. Immortals

Chapter Three: Immortals

Sarah wandered the castle halls for hours, discovering things as she went. Originally, she had set out to find the library, but Jareth's castle was built like his Labyrinth, and so the harder she tried to find it, the farther she seemed to get from it. She did discover a kitchen, seven locked doors, one door that radiated power and magic so strong she was too frightened to enter, nine secret passageways, and a mirror that talked.

But no library.

She was growing bored, and tired, and honestly she was a little panicked that she'd never make it back to the throne room. It was after she thought this mildly terrifying- but not as terrifying as being cursed and thrown back into the Underground- that she found the garden.

It was a complete accident. She'd tried to lean back against the tapestry covered wall to calm herself, and had simply fallen into another room. Upon standing and shaking herself off, Sarah discovered a large set of double doors. She pushed them open and was momentarily blinded by the bright sunlight that shone down into the luscious garden. One look at the beautiful garden, unlike any she had ever seen, stole Sarah's breath away.

A glittering, cobblestone pathway ran through the large area, on it's right were many different plant life. There were bushes filled with strange fruit, trees that seemed to reach lovingly for Sarah with their glimmering branches, and flowers, all shimmering. A few fairies lounged on a large, multicolored flower, laughing and speaking to each other in tinkling little voices. Sarah, of course, did not speak the language of the fairies, so she did not understand them, but they quieted when they saw her, tensing up as if to flee. Or attack. Sarah held her hands up reassuringly, backing a step away. This seemed to calm the little fairies, as they turned from Sarah and continued their conversation. She looked to the left of the path and saw a small, clear pond, it's water's cool and inviting. Beside the pond grew a tall, healthy peach tree. Sarah would've smiled if she could have, as she walked over to sit under it. She wondered idly if this was the tree that supplied Jareth with the enchanted peach that had taken her memories. She did not have to wonder long.

"They're magical, but they won't hurt you."

She turned sharply to face the voice, eyes widening when there was no one there.

"Oh, sorry, one second."

And as an astonished Sarah watched, a girl appeared, just outside the shade of the tree. Only she wasn't a girl, she was the shadow of a girl, unattached from the earth to stand in front of Sarah as a fully formed specter.

"Don't look so afraid, I'm not a ghost or anything. " The shadow spoke, startling Sarah out of her gawking.

The shadow child moved forwards, towards the now frozen Sarah, and placed her fingers lightly on the part of her mask where her lips should have been.

"You can't speak?"

At Sarah's nod, the girl made a little noise and walked back to her tree, sitting just outside the shade and patting the ground beside her.

"That's fine then, I like to talk."

And she did. The shadow child spoke for several hours, explaining every activity she enjoyed, from watching the stars to frightening the goblin's by leaping out of the shadows.

It wasn't until the sun began to sink that she turned to face Sarah, her tone suddenly serious.

"I was human once you know. I'm not sure how long ago, because time works different here, and for me it's stopped completely, but I know I am and was eight years old. I wanted to be a ballet dancer. My momma didn't love me though. She said she had better things to do, and she left me alone and never came back. I got so hungry, I thought I was gonna die. Then Miss Cady came, and she said she could make me better if I could solve her riddle. I still remember it." The shadow child sucked in a big breath before reciting:

 _"I am only one color, but not one size,_  
I am stuck on the ground yet I easily fly,  
I am present in the sun but not in the rain,  
I am doing no harm and feeling no pain.

 _What am I?_ "

The girl turned her head towards Sarah, and even though Sarah had an idea of what the answer was, she could not speak.

"I didn't know, and she said that until I could answer, I belonged to her. Then she turned me into this and stole my name from me."

The girl sounded so horribly sad that Sarah felt a deep pang in her heart for her, and before she had even processed what she was doing, Miss Williams had pulled the nameless child close to her in a hug. She could sympathize with the child, as she too had been abandoned by her mother at a young age, then later cursed. Sarah's mother was an actress, and she'd left her husband and child behind for fame. Sarah still remembered the day she left.

_"Mom?"_

_Sarah's mother turned sharply, eyes widening at the sight of her young daughter, still in her pajamas. The elder of the two stood by the door, suitcase in hand._

_"Where're you going?" Sarah asked, rubbing at her eyes. It was far too early for her mother to be leaving. It just didn't make sense._

_"Mommy's leaving, Sarah. She got a big role in Hollywood, and she has to go."_

_Sarah tried to process this, but the main thing that stuck out was the word 'leaving'_.

_"Why do you have to leave? Can't I come with you?"_

_Misses Williams smiled, but it was forced and bitter._

_"Now Sarah, I can't act and take care of you at the same time. I have to choose, sweetie. I still love you. You understand, right? Mommy has to follow her dreams."_

_Sarah nodded, even though she didn't understand, and her mother kissed her on the cheek and called her a good girl. And then she walked out of Sarah's life and never came back. Sarah's dad found his daughter the next morning, sitting in the front hall. When asked what she was doing, Sarah said she was waiting for her mom to come home._

_She never did. Sarah thought it wasn't fair at all._

The shadow girl stirred in Sarah's arms, pulling back.

"The sun's nearly down, you'll need to get back inside. I'll walk you."

The girls stood, the younger of the two leading Sarah back towards the castle doors. They were a few feet away when Jareth stepped out and they stopped short.

Jareth spoke sharply to the fairies, in the same magnificent language they spoke, and they flew quickly away.

"Little pests." he spat. Then he spotted Sarah and the shadow girl.

"Oh, you two have met then?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I like her, she listens well, even for a mute." The shadow girl spoke, her tone suddenly perky and light once more.

Jareth's gaze moved to rest on Sarah, a small smile curving his lips.

"Well, Little One, I am afraid I must borrow her from you. She needs help finding her room, you know." Jareth spoke, enunciating 'little one' as if they were the child's name. Little One gave a curt nod, and stepped away from Sarah. By the time she reached the door, the sun had set completely, and Sarah could no longer see her.

"Little One's tale is a tragic one. She's been here for nearly seven Aboveground years now, though it has not been so long here. She's one of the lucky ones though, most of Arcadia's victims don't retain their freedoms or their lives. She only took Little One's humanity and her name. Even if the child were to solve the riddle, she's been here so long she could never be completely human again."

Jareth looked down at Sarah as they walked through the maze-like halls, towards Sarah's new room.

"Simply curious, do you have a time limit to complete your task before she takes you, or are you like Little One?"

Sarah held up one finger, indicating to Jareth that the first half of his question was his answer, and her nodded, his features softening just a hair.

"I wish you luck then. Here's your room."

He pushed open a heavy wooden door, revealing a lovely room. It was luxurious, like something out of a fairy tale, which did not shock Sarah. Her cat, Felix, was stretched out on the four poster, canopy bed. Queen sized.

"I'll leave you now. Little One will fetch you in the morning."

Before Jareth could leave, a sharp, clear CRICK stopped him. He turned around quickly, right as Sarah lifted a hand to touch the small crack that had just formed in the top corner of her mask. Jareth's mismatched eyes widened a fraction as Arcadia's voice sounded in Sarah's head.

'If he does not admit he loves you by the thirteenth hour of the thirteenth day, you will be mine.'


	4. Sticks and Stones

Chapter Four: Sticks and Stones

Jareth moved forwards slowly, reaching out to brush one gloved finger across the crack in Sarah's mask. She shuddered a little as the leather of his glove rubbed against her fingers, and his eyes met her's, sharp and hyper-focused. Something akin to recognition snaked it's way onto his facial features, and Sarah couldn't fight the feeling of hope blooming through her chest, warm and light.

"Who... are you?" He breathed, and Sarah suddenly knew how she could answer him.

She rushed to the desk on the far side of the room, digging through it to find a pen and paper. Once she had the proper materials, Sarah tried to write something, just a test word.

"Underground." Jareth read aloud in his drawling voice. Sarah jumped, as she hadn't felt him approach.

She moved her hand down a line and wrote:

_My name is-_

Before she could finish writing, her hand and wrist went completely numb. And then an agonizing pain tore through her from fingers to elbow, so strong that she collapsed, grasping at her flesh. Had she been in possession of lips, they would have been stretched open in a scream. Jareth said something that sounded suspiciously like the Fey equivalent of the word 'fuck', and then Sarah was in his arms, and he was running.

Sarah woke, hours later, back in her bedroom. Jareth was nowhere to be seen, but Little One was there, curled up at Sarah's side and humming softly. When Sarah moved to sit up, the little shadow turned to face her. As much as a shadow can face anyone, seeing as shadows lack faces.

"King Jareth says you aren't to move from the bed until he comes to examine you at lunch today. You've only been unconscious one night, but he is very concerned. The curse did something to you?"

Sarah nodded slowly, and then she realized. Her arm. She jerked the covers away, terrified over the fate of her writing limb. She found it tightly bandaged, but still attached to her. She moved her gaze to Little One, hoping the shadow child could read her eyes enough to understand the question she was silently asking.

"You were burnt, apparently. When you tried to write something that Arcadia must have disapproved of. You must be more careful. She doesn't like cheating, and her power is much greater than you. It's almost as powerful as the Goblin King, but she has less rules, so she could very easily decide to remove your hands completely if you try to tell anyone about your curse again. That's what you did, right?"

'Not quite.' Sarah thought, but she nodded anyway. She was offended at the fact that she had just been called weaker than Jareth by comparison.

"From now on, if you write to communicate, please try not to mention your curse. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

Sarah nodded, hugging Little One with her good arm. Shortly after they separated, Jareth entered the room. He motioned for Little One to move away before taking her place, sitting on the very edge of Sarah's bed.

"Your arm." He demanded, and for once in her life Sarah obeyed him. Slowly.

He unwrapped the bandages, revealing her clearly burnt arm. It was bright red, with moderate blistering. Not nearly as bad as it had felt.

"Excellent. The salve is working, then. You should have minimum scarring, at this rate." Jareth met Sarah's confused eyes through her mask for a moment before explaining. "You had severe burns. They would have required surgery, possibly amputation, in the Aboveground. Normally, I can heal humans with my magic without leaving a trace of the wound, but my powers..." His brow furrowed in frustration, and Sarah had the ridiculous urge to run her fingers over it. "They don't work on you."

_You have no power over me._

Sarah was sure her eyes widened in realization, because Jareth's narrowed into slits. His next words were colder, as if he knew she was keeping something from him. But it wasn't as if she had a choice.

"I made a salve out of some plants that grow in the Labyrinth, and you should be mostly healed after two more applications. You will only write under mine or Little One's supervision, so that one of us can confiscate your utensils, should you choose to be a fool and write something you aren't supposed to."

Sarah gave him the best glare she could through the mask, and she was fairly sure he noticed, because his doctoring of her arm went from concerned and gentle to brisk and professional. Within seconds, he had finished applying the salve and bandages. He stood to leave, but stopped before reaching the door.

"Oh, and here. This book will erase itself when you close it, and it should be fairly easy to keep up a conversation with."

He threw a small, black book, bound in leather, onto the bed. Sarah picked it up and scribbled a note with the pen, which was attached by a small leather strap, but when she turned to show her 'Thank you.' to Jareth, he was already gone. She gave a small sigh, closing and reopening the book before writing to Little One.

 _'What crawled up his butt?'_ Sarah wrote. Little one gave a shocked little giggle before crawling back into the bed.

"I have never seen anyone be so defiant without speaking a single word. And I have certainly never seen anyone be so defiant to the king, with or without words. Anyone else would have been bogged. Wonder what makes you different." Little One, where she could have been jealous of Sarah's apparent favor in the king's eyes, only sounded thoughtful.

Sarah shrugged a little before writing another sentence in her book.

_'If you think I'm bad without words, wait until the next time Jareth and I are in the same room.'_

Little One shook her head, laughing a bit.

"You must have a death wish or something." She cast a glance at the clock above Sarah's bed, which was numbered to thirteen. The time was currently 13:09.

"We've got about... five or six hours before the sun sets. We could walk the Labyrinth until then, if you want. I don't like to stay inside when the sun is out, if I can help it."

Sarah nodded briskly before climbing out of bed. She was completely ready in under twenty minutes. She'd bathed, changed clothes, and packed a small bag. She started to look for some food to bring along when she realized that she'd been in the Underground for over 24 hours without eating a thing. And she wasn't hungry, at all.

_'Little One, do you think my curse makes it where I don't have to eat?' She scribbled into her book._

"Probably. Mine did. She needs you alive to play her games, right? Wouldn't make sense to starve you."

Sarah nodded in response, tucking her book into a belt she'd tied around her waist. The rest of her outfit consisted of a pair of men's breeches and a men's poet shirt. She was not going to try navigating the Labyrinth in any of the dresses that had been placed in her closet, faerie etiquette be damned.

"Alright, you ready?" Little One asked, hands on her hips. Sarah nodded, and they set off.

Only a four hour walk later, they reached the front of the Labyrinth. Little One knew all sorts of shortcuts, which Sarah was thankful for. They exited the Labyrinth to the sight of Hoggle pruning some weeds from the front walls.

"Oh, it's that mean old dwarf . Higgle, I think."

The dwarf in question cast a glare towards the child shaped shadow as Sarah scribbled furiously into her book.

 _'His name is Hoggle.'_ She wrote, and Little One gave a little huff.

"Not sure how you'd even know that. Alright then, let's see if you're right. Hey, Hoggle!"

The dwarf jumped, straightening up and turning to face the two girls.

"Oh, so now you know my name? S'pose you want something?"

His tone was only slightly ruder than the one he used when he first met Sarah.

"Not really. My friend just said your name was Hoggle, not Higgle as I thought, so I decided to check." Little One said quite plainly, and although the child was completely a shadow, Sarah had the strangest feeling she was giving Hoggle a look similar to the ones Jareth gave him.

"And who is she?" Hoggle snapped, giving Sarah a glare. Apparently her being with Little One automatically made the dwarf dislike her.

"Don't know, she's cursed."

Little One had a mean little twist in her voice now, and Sarah got the feeling she and Hoggle didn't like each other.

 _'Hello Hoggle. I'm-'_ Sarah caught herself, shaking her head before scribbling out the word 'I'm' before turning the book so that Hoggle could read it.

God, she hoped he could read. He'd never had to in her first visit, so Sarah couldn't be sure, and she did not want to make him like her any less.

"Well, hello to yourself." Hoggle replied after staring at the book for a bit. "What's your name, then?"

"She can't tell you, dummy, she's cursed." Little One put in meanly. Sarah spun to face her, scribbling a quick reprimand into her book.

_'Why are you being so mean to him?'_

"Children can be quite cruel." Came the smooth reply, so clearly not that of a small shadow girl, nor that of a dwarf. Sarah looked around for a moment before spotting him. Jareth sat on top of the Labyrinth gate, smirking down at them all.

"But it's a childish cruelty, so it stings less than the cruelty of a king. And yet, like a child, she doesn't think of how her words harm others, so she throws them about freely."

Sarah stared at him, her fingers unmoving. She was speechless in every sense of the word. His words had a double meaning to her, and she wondered if it was intentional. Little One seemed only to grow more angry at being called cruel, and Sarah sensed she was also a little hurt.

"I don't see why anyone cares, anyway. He's just a dwarf, no better than a goblin."

That pissed Sarah off, and after taking a few deep breaths, she wrote a response to the child.

_'Hoggle is far more than a goblin. He's got all sorts of good in him that you don't see. He can be brave when it comes to friends, and he's one of the best friends you could have.'_

Little One read all of this, and Sarah sensed her confusion.

"But how do you know that?"

Hoggle let out a little harrumph. "King Jareth, your little curse victim's been reading books about the champion, ain't she?"

Jareth gave a little shrug, staring straight at Sarah. She felt a little chill run down her spine, and she shivered without meaning to.

"It doesn't matter either way. Little One, run and pester the lake hags, why don't you? I wish to speak with your friend for a bit."

Little One gave a small shrug, hugging Sarah briefly, and then the tiny shadow took off, running into the shadows and vanishing from sight. After a moment, Sarah felt a gloved hand take hold of her arm.

"Prepare yourself, for I am not fond of walking the Labyrinth when there is somewhere I need to be." Jareth whispered, lips nearly brushing her ears. Then there was darkness, and for a moment Sarah couldn't breathe.

And then she could again, and she sucked air in through the nose of her mask, nearly collapsing. There was glitter in the air, and she spotted a goblin racing out of the room.

"I told you to prepare yourself, girl." Jareth said, holding her up. "Anyway, we are here to speak about the ball I am to hold in twelve days time. The Samhain Ball. All the upstanding fae in the land shall attend, and the rabble shall hold their own celebration in the goblin city. But I have rules, Pet." Sarah bristled at the name, pronounced the same way Jareth usually pronounced 'Little One'. "One of my rules is simply this: Any who attend my ball uninvited will be punished. Little One is invited, and I suspect she will want your company, if you still remain at that time. So I called you here to extend an invitation to you. Should you choose to come to the ball, use this crystal. It will bring you to me and change you into whatever dress you choose."

Sarah stared at the crystal for a long moment before writing in her book.

 _'And if I do not accept?'_ She asked, and she would have mimicked his smirk had she been able to.

Jareth gave a little growl at her apparent impudence, and he was on her quickly, pushing her back to the wall. He leaned in close, teeth bared.

"Do you know how we fae respond to rudeness, Pet?" He hissed into her face. "Do you know how rude it is to not accept a gift?"

Sarah suspected he was only trying to frighten her, but he was fairly skilled at that, so she wrapped her fingers around the crystal in his hand. A slow smirk began to spread across his lips, and Sarah just couldn't let him have the last laugh. So, before he could pull away, she turned her head quickly and lightly whacked him in the face with the long nose of her mask. And, with the image of his stunned face fresh in her mind, Sarah broke from his hold and ran from the room.

Once she reached her own room, Sarah collapsed, silent laughter moving her chest in sharp heaves. She felt a gentle brushing against her thigh, and glanced down through tear filled eyes to see Felix, her cat. He curled in her lap and watched her laughing with knowing eyes, until Little One stepped from the shadows and Sarah finally calmed down.

"I don't know what you did, miss, but King Jareth is in the strangest mood now. I'm not sure if he's angry with you or amused, and I don't know if he knows either."

If Sarah could have smiled, she would have.

"I'm told you got invited to the ball." Little One said, falling into an armchair without a sound.

Sarah sobered up quickly, looking down at the crystal in her hands. She nodded slowly, spinning it between her fingers like she'd seen him do. It didn't dance nearly as well for her, but it did dance, and she like the feel of it in her hands.

"You'll want to put that somewhere safe." Little One said, and Sarah nodded again, pushing Fe off her lap as she stood and looked around.

In the end, she hid the crystal in the best place she could think of, and Little One gave her approval before leaving, not through the door, but through the shadows again. Sarah sank into bed, and Fe hopped up beside her, turning a few circles before sinking into a napping position. Sarah watched him for a little while before her own eyes grew tired, and she sank into her dreams, which were, as they had been since she was fifteen, about the Labyrinth, and it's king.


	5. Spiderwebs

Chapter Five: Spiderwebs

Sarah woke up with a start on the third morning of her curse. It wasn't her dream that bothered her, as she had the ballroom dream almost twice a week, but rather how it ended. Instead of the glass shattering when Sarah hit it with the chair, Sarah herself shattered.

She shuddered once, shaking her head to clear it of the eerie dream, before climbing out of bed and padding into the bathroom to take a bath and fix her hair. She didn't need makeup, because of the odd mask that covered, and seemingly replaced, her face. Sarah was beginning to forget what her old face even looked like, apart from the more vague details, like her green eyes.

Once finished with her bath, Sarah picked up her brush with one hand and wiped the steam from the mirror with the other. She barely glanced at herself, however, before dropping the brush and stumbling back in shock, a scream starting and dying in her chest, because it could not escape.

The crack on Sarah's mask had fractured off into two larger cracks overnight.

She began to hyperventilate, sucking in sharp little gusts of air through her nose, and stumbled out of the bathroom and towards her bedroom door. She through the door open and stumbled into the hall, but had only gone a few steps when strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind and pulled her back into a warm chest. Jareth's voice struck through the panic in her mind and had her going limp against him.

But then she heard what he said, and it reminded her why she was out of her room as quickly as his voice had made her forget.

"What in the Underground has got you running from you rooms in such a panic, Pet?"

Sarah reached up and touched the cracks in her mask, her breath beginning to shorten again. Jareth heard this, and noticed something she had not, and he pulled her quickly into her bedroom.

"Look at me." He said, first in the firm and haughty voice she was used to, and then again, softly. "Pet, look at me."

She turned, looking up into his face, and his mismatched eyes widened in shock. He brushed one gloved finger over the cracks before turning away from Sarah. As he turned, she caught a glimpse of a fury so dark and promising, that even as she felt cold with fear at it, she felt a completely different kind of warmth at it as well.

"It's your curse. Whatever it is, you have a time limit."

Jareth turned sharply to face her.

"I'll need to capture Arcadia soon, to force her to reverse it on fear of death. I don't know what your curse is, but the fact that you are here makes you my responsibility. I will do what I can to help you."

Sarah would've laughed if she could, knowing how easily he could fix everything. Just three powerful little words. Jareth seemed to see her mood calm slightly, because he cleared his throat then and smirked perversely.

"Just so you're aware, Pet, it is less than wise to roam the castle in a bathrobe."

Sarah looked down at herself for a long moment, then back up at Jareth. If masks could blush, hers would be crimson.

"Well?"

She ran into the bathroom and locked the door, her embarrassment rising as Jareth's laughter echoed from the other side. When she emerged, dressed, he was not gone, as she expected, but rather was lounging in Sarah's desk chair.

"Much better, Pet." He grinned. Sarah scowled, scribbling in her book.

_"What kind of name is 'Pet'? I'm not a dog, you know."_

Jareth's grin only widened, his charming face alight with mischief.

"True, but it suits you nonetheless, Pet."

Sarah wanted to throw the book right at his smug, pompous, fat head. She attempted to glare at him through the mask, and he seemed to sense it, because he laughed at her.

"Come on then, Pet, Samhain is only ten days away."

Sarah winced internally. Being reminded of her deadline was not the way to start the day. But then the rest of his words caught up with her, and she scribbled quickly in her book.

_"Where are we going?"_

Jareth looked from the book to her eyes, a dangerous little smirk tugging the corners of his lips.

"Well, Pet, you'll need to know how to dance, for the ball. So, after we break our fast, I will begin teaching you some of the most basic Underground dances."

Sarah's eyes widened behind the mask, and she stumbled back, shaking her head, but Jareth was not to be argued with. He caught her by the wrist and they vanished from the room in a cloud of glitter, which Sarah was certain would never come loose from her hair again.

"Alright, Pet, off with your shoes."

Jareth was standing before Sarah, as undressed as she'd ever seen him. His shoes has been discarded, the tight legs of his breaches rolled up. His shirt was partially unbuttoned, and he'd forgone his vest completely. He kept the gloves though, to Sarah's disappointment. She was unhealthily curious about his hands.

Sarah slowly removed her shoes, eyes on him. Her dress- which Jareth had given her after their breakfast- which consisted of Jareth eating while Sarah watched- with explicit instructions that she wear it to their dancing lesson- was of a looser sort than she would expect of a medieval castle. It was a chiffon, light green and silky against her skin. She pushed her hair back with one hand while tossing her shoes away with the other.

Jareth took her hand and pulled her closer, and she was somewhat startled at how easily she could move in the dress. His giving it to her made a lot more sense now.

"Alright, Pet, just follow my movements for a moment, and then I'll explain the steps with a bit more depth."

With that, Jareth pulled Sarah close and began to dance, slow at first and then a lot more quickly. A fast, magical song began to play around them, consisting of mostly flute, and maybe some reed pipe. It was very light and airy. Sarah was pressed to his chest as he twirled them about the room, occasionally murmuring to her about footwork. When they stopped he took a moment to demonstrate the steps he made, much more slowly, then assured Sarah she wouldn't need to worry all too much.

"It's mostly the leading partner who controls that specific dance. You are fairly graceful, so it's unlikely you'll muck it up by tripping over yourself or your partner."

Sarah felt the strongest urge to roll her mask eyes. Could they roll? Probably not. She ignored the urge to write something snarky in her book.

_"No one will want to dance with me with this thing on my face."_

She didn't intend to come off as petulant, she wouldn't want to dance with any of the fey anyhow. Except maybe one.

"Nonsense, I'll dance with you at least once. Now, this next one is a bit newer than the last, which was a classic fey dance. This one is one I wrote a while ago, for the champion of my Labyrinth. I usually only dance it with Little One, but you'll need to know the steps, just in case someone else wishes to dance with you."

With that piece of information, the bit about the champion, Sarah's pulse began to pick up. Surely he didn't mean that dance.

But he did. As he tugged her close once more, a very familiar song filled the air around them, sung in his voice, though his lips did not move. The very same song he'd sung to her in her peach induced hallucination.

Sarah knew the movements to this dance, and she moved easily with Jareth, her eyes closing for a long moment before opening to look up at him. His mismatched eyes met hers and she lost the ability to breathe for a moment.

His eyes burned. He tugged her closer, the heat in his eyes scorching hers. She wanted to look away, but they held her gaze. Trapped her. It felt like he could see into her soul.

"You know this dance so well. I swear it's as though I- I know you." He whispered, leaning a little closer.

But before he could say anything else, the song ended, breaking their trance. He stepped back, brow furrowed.

"I… think that is enough for the day. You may return to your rooms until supper. I think next time we will try a dance traditionally lead by the woman. I'd like to see how quickly you pick up on that." He smirked slightly, though it seemed a bit flimsy.

Sarah nodded quickly, grabbing her shoes before bolting from the room.

Her heart was still beating wildly when she stepped into her room. She shut the door, leaning against it for a moment to catch her breath, but startled away from it when she realized she was not alone in her room.

Felix was under the bed, a steady hiss issuing from his mouth. Sarah was certain his fur was completely on end. And she knew why.

Sitting in Sarah's desk chair, twirling a smoke filled crystal around absentmindedly, was Arcadia. She looked up at Sarah, blinking slowly as an eerie little grin stretched across her face.

"Hello, _Sarah_."


	6. Bad Blood

Chapter Six: Bad Blood

Sarah stumbled back, her back hitting the door with a dull thump. She trembled, dread and adrenaline fighting for dominance over her body and making her knees weak.

From her place at Sarah's desk, Arcadia stood and stretched with a loud series of sharp clicking. She approached Sarah slowly, giving the false impression that the human would be capable of escape. Sarah, of course, knew otherwise, and stayed frozen against the door, worried that any sudden movements could lead to the unbalanced fey harming her.

Arcadia leaned in close, smiling the same wicked smile she'd worn when she first cursed Sarah. Absently, Sarah noticed that the insane faery looked different.

The cracks that had run across her smooth jawline had receded down to her neck, leaving her face unmarked. At this revelation, Sarah raised a hand to her mask, running her fingers over the cracks there.

"Ah, you are beginning to connect the dots, Sarah-mine." The dark fey whispered gleefully, catching Sarah's wrist and pressing her fingers into the cracks so hard that they bled. Arcadia captured the welling blood with one claw-like finger nail before licking the inhumanly long digit clean.

"In just ten days, you will be mine. If there's anything left to have, that is."

Arcadia stepped back, looking Sarah over.

"How are you liking my little curse, Sarah? Is it, as you mortals put it, 'a piece of cake'?"

At Sarah's vehement shake of her head, Arcadia grinned again.

"No? So you don't want me to up the stakes? I really ought to, after that stunt you pulled with the book." Arcadia cocked her head to the side, a girlish giggle escaping her lips as Sarah's trembling increased.

"But... a game that I already know the outcome to is no fun at all, so I guess I'll let you keep your pretty little hands for now."

Sarah was not comforted by this in the slightest, but she did relax a little when the evil woman stepped away from her.

"So, three days in, little Sarah, and you've hardly made any progress. I have to admit, I'm almost disappointed." Arcadia punctuated her words with an exaggerated pout as she returned to her seat at Sarah's desk. "But I did notice that you have befriended another of my little projects. Tell me, Sarah, do you know the answer to the little girl's riddle?"

She stared at Sarah for a long moment before laughing.

"Whoops, forgot, you can't speak. Oh, well. I guess I'll go, for now. But just a warning, Sarah, if you try to write the answer to the girl's riddle, I'll have to rethink my decision to let you keep your hands."

With that, Cady stood, and tossed her dark crystal into the air. As the smoke consumed her, she spoke once more.

"See you at the ball, Sarah-mine!"

As soon as the last of the smoke cleared from her room, Sarah collapsed onto her floor. Not a moment later, the door opened behind her, and since Sarah was leaning against it, she fell backwards and into the hall. Above her stood a confused looking goblin, his little head cocked to the side.

"Why's you lying on the floor, miss?" The little creature inquired.

Sarah slowly sat up, rubbing her head. She didn't bother writing in her book. The goblins, though cute at times, were a bit lacking in intelligence, and Sarah highly doubted they were literate. The goblin seemed to notice her lack of a mouth, or maybe he just didn't care for her answer, because he moved on.

"Kingy says bring mask girl to him."

If Sarah could have sighed, she would have done so. Loudly. As it was, she stood and allowed the little goblin to take her hand and lead her to the throne room, where Jareth sat waiting. His face was filled with anger and concern as he caught sight of her, and in an instant he was across the room and at her side.

"You may return to your duties, Nibs." He told the small goblin, who quickly bowed and fled the room, leaving Sarah to deal with the apparently furious Goblin King.

"Pet, was someone in your room a moment ago?" Jareth inquired, staring down at Sarah.

She tried to nod, but found her head unable to move.

"Because I," Jareth continued, "attempted to look in on you with one of my crystals, but it only showed me smoke."

Sarah stared up at him, internally pleading that he could put two and two together without her help, as it seemed her curse made her unable to even nod her assent at the moment.

"It was Arcadia, was it not?" Jareth asked, his face stern. Sarah got the feeling that it wasn't really a question. He already knew.

Sarah shivered, unable to hold his gaze, and Jareth's face softened, anger fleeing so that only concern remained.

"Did she hurt you? I smell blood."

Sarah tried not to be alarmed at that little detail, instead choosing to show her cut fingers to Jareth. He growled a bit, taking her wrist to examine her hand more closely.

"We will need to tighten security. I can't have Arcadia waltzing in whenever she pleases. Fey aren't supposed to enter my home without prior notice, except for when there is a ball."

He looked away from Sarah's hand, appraising the rest of her for anymore injuries.

"Well, at least she did not seriously injure you. Come, I will attend to your hand, and then you may sit with me while I eat my evening meal."

He lead her into what appeared to be an infirmary, where he carefully cleaned and bandaged her fingers, and then she followed him to his dining room, where his meal was already waiting. They sat together while he ate, and when he finished he leaned back, examining her curiously. Sarah squirmed under his close scrutiny, and after a moment he sighed.

"Well, you're free to go. I'll send a goblin to stand outside your door for tonight, while I work on making the castle more secure. Just shout if there is trouble. Sarah nodded, standing and starting to turn, but stopped short when Jareth's hand shot out to catch her by the wrist.

"One more thing, Pet. Do try to get some sleep. You have another lesson tomorrow, after all."

Sarah nodded again, and he released her. She quickly left for her bedroom, and upon reaching it collapsed into her bed. She lay awake for a while, listening to the quiet sounds of the castle, the labyrinth, and the goblin at her door. Her mind flicked back and forth between thinking about Jareth to fretting about Arcadia and what she might do. Sometime during her worried thoughts, Sarah Williams drifted into a less than peaceful sleep.

_Strange fey surrounded her, all in horrible masks. Their masked faces were twisted in hatred and pain, and Sarah trembled as she pushed her way through the throng, searching for her king. Her mask was gone, freeing her face once more. She called for him, but no sound escaped. She wore the same dress she'd worn in the peach dream, when she was a young girl, except now the dress was black and the corset was laced far too tightly. Sarah felt like she was drowning._

_"Precious..." His voice whispered, right behind her._

_She turned quickly, and caught sight of his back as he walked away from her. Sarah gave chase, stumbling along after him. She lacked the natural grace of the fey, and could feel her unorganized steps drawing the attention of the dangerous faeries around her._

_"Precious..." He sang again, this time from her right. She turned again, but he was already gone. The wicked song the faeries were singing, in a language that did not belong to Sarah, grew louder as the mass began to close in on her._

_"Precious." She couldn't tell where his voice came from now. Faery hands reached out, clawing at Sarah's dress and digging inhuman claws into her flesh, drawing blood. She opened her mouth in a silent scream, fighting their grip._

_They pushed her around, biting, scratching, and pinching her sensitive, human skin. She was drowning, suffocating beneath a throng of cruel, hungry fey. Sarah closed her eyes._

_"Precious." They snapped open again, and there he was. Jareth. Right in front of her._

_Sarah pulled herself from the evil faeries, throwing herself into his arms so violently that he should've stumbled back. He didn't, and his arms wrapped around her, his lips pressing into her hair. She tilted her head up, kissing him with the passion she'd lacked at fifteen. But his lips were wrong. And his arms felt too long, too thin._

_"Precious." A voice that wasn't his whispered._

_Sarah jerked back , and met Arcadia's terrifying black gaze. There were no longer any cracks on the dark fey, and Sarah could feel the spiderweb fractures covering her body. Sucking her life away. She tried to open her mouth again, but found it wouldn't even do that. Sarah traced a finger over her lips. They were stitched shut._

_Arcadia laughed, a happy, girlish sound, and Sarah felt herself shatter. As her lips came free once more, she opened her mouth and_

Screamed.


	7. Pretty Little Girls

Sarah screamed and screamed, the sound horribly muffled by her mask. But still, she made a sound, and that was an improvement in itself. She scrambled wildly from her bed, falling with a heavy thump onto the floor. The guard outside her door must've heard her. There was a loud crack outside her door, and then Jareth appeared in her room, the goblin guard at his side.

"I's heard a thump and a weird sound, Kingy." He said, before making a high pitches 'MMM' to imitate her scream.

Jareth waved him back, scanning Sarah's room, before moving to her. She'd moved back to her bed, sitting down carefully. He examined her quickly, and upon finding no injury, pulled her close.

"What is it, Pet? What caused you to panic?"

He wasn't quite hugging her, that'd be far to intimate for a king and a near stranger, but he was touching her gently, one hand loosely gripping her shoulder while the other cupped the side of her mask. Sarah calmed slowly, her breath and mind slowly coming back to her. She made a gesture for her book, and Jareth had the goblin fetch it. Sarah gave him- she was fairly certain him was right- a thankful nod as she opened the little journal and wrote slowly and shakily.

_'I'm sorry for scaring you. I had a nightmare.'_

Jareth stared at this for a long moment, brow furrowed.

"A... nightmare? That made you make the first sound I've ever heard from you? And fall from bed?"

Sarah felt insulted, and quickly replied.

_'It was one of the worst I've ever had, you pompous-'_

"You may not want to finish that thought, Pet. I am a king you know." Jareth said, peering at her words as she wrote them.

Sarah shut and re-opened the book, giving him a tiny glare.

"Can you tell me about it, then, if is was so horrible that you had to give my poor goblin a heart attack?"

Sarah glared a little harder, then shook her head before explaining in her book.

_'Has to do with the mask, can't talk about it.'_

He seemed to understand, and nodded, gently pulling her book from her grasp before pushing her back so she was resting against the pillows.

"Get some rest, Pet, I'll sit here until I know you are having pleasant dreams, and then leave you. Your guard shall be replaced by a... larger creature by the time you wake, so try not to be startled."

Sarah nodded, mutely as usual, and closed her eyes. She tossed and turned for several minutes, annoyingly aware of Jareth's presence, even as it made her feel safe.

At her fifth attempt to get comfortable, he started to sing. She didn't recognize the song, but the melody was sweet and slow. It was a song about peace and dreaming, and she found herself sinking into the bed, eyes drifting shut of their own accord. In moment, Sarah was asleep.

She didn't notice Jareth lingering for far longer than necessary, weaving a pleasant dream for the girl. Nor did she notice his frustration at her odd familiarity as he left the room.

When Sarah woke, she stretched pleasantly. Jareth had left sometime during the night, and in his place was another outfit laid out for her dancing lessons today. She bathed and dressed, before walking to the door. She knew she had a new crack, but tried not to focus on it as she opened her door.

And upon opening it, stumbled back, as it was completely blocked by a large mass of red fur.

Sarah caught her breath before tapping on the furry creature's shoulder. It turned slowly, and Sarah felt a thrill of delight as she spotted one of her very first friends in the Labyrinth.

Ludo.

She hugged him, not even thinking, and Ludo sort of... sniffed her. When Sarah pulled back, Ludo took a long look at her, and she could almost see the gears in his brain trying to put two and two together.

"Fwiend?"

Sarah felt her eyes crinkle happily as she nodded. Ludo, for his part, was much more expressive as he hugged her again.

"FWIEND!"

Sarah eventually dis-tangled herself from the big fellow and worked her way to the ballroom, where Jareth was waiting.

"You, Pet, are late." The Goblin King said, smirking playfully at her.

Sarah, eyes still crinkled in the equivalent of a smile, wrote back to him.

_'There was a bit of a friendly blockage in my door this morning.'_

Jareth laughed, and Sarah was breathless for a moment as how gorgeous he was when he did.

"Yes, well, I've placed some extra security measures on the outside of the castle, so you don't necessarily need that extra protection, but I believe everyone would feel more comfortable if Ludo stayed outside your door for now."

Sarah nodded, agreeing with him completely, and set her book to the side. Jareth smiled at her.

"Ah, is the girl ready to learn?"

Sarah stepped close to him, wishing she could make a snarky remark without having to go to the trouble of retrieving her book. Jareth, for his part, seemed perfectly content with her silence, and took it as an opportunity to begin instructing her.

"Alright, Pet, this song is lead by you, so we can gain insight into your skills as a dancer, instead of just letting you follow me. So..." Jareth looked Sarah over once, too slowly for her not to feel shy, "We need to tweak your stance a bit."

He then proceeded to place his gloved hands on her hips and adjust her as he saw fit. If not for the mask, Sarah's face would have been an alarming shade of red. And Jareth didn't stop there. He adjusted at her until he felt her hips were the way they should be, then knelt and positioned her legs, nearly knocking her off balance. Lastly, he stood and moved close to her, placing her hand in his.

"Now, look into this crystal and try to follow her movements, then we will practice physically."

Sarah looked into the crystal, but wasn't sure how she was supposed to focus when he was so physically close to her. The girl on the screen was moving in a way that was... well. Really damn inappropriate, if Sarah was being honest. The man was barely moving, only doing so when the female pulled him or pushed him, but the woman was twirling and moving around him, never letting go of his hands. At the end of the dance, the woman tapped him on the shoulders, and he fell to his knees, face lifted up towards her.

Jareth wanted Sarah to dance that dance. With him.

Sarah looked away from the now empty crystal, and into Jareth's eyes.

"You don't have to be good yet, Pet, just do as I say."

Weren't those some words that could be really hot under a different setting? Sarah shook her head, derailing that train of thought. It would not due to think of Jareth like that right before she started trying to dance with him.

"Close your eyes, Pet. Listen to my instructions."

Sarah did as she was told, and Jareth took both of her hands in his.

"Okay, now, step closer to me and..."

Over the next half hour, Jareth instructed her carefully through the entire dance, stopping to focus on a few steps when she had trouble, and praising her quietly when she did well. When he suddenly went silent, Sarah's eyes opened. He was smirking at her.

"Now, Pet, I want you to try it on your own." He said, and released her hand briefly to conjure up some sensual but easy to dance to music.

Sarah took a deep, nervous breath. And then she started to dance. At first, she was shy, never getting too close, but as moments passed and she didn't muck it up by tripping into him, she grew bolder, grasping his hands as she moved against him.

As the dance grew closer to its closure, she noticed that Jareth was breathing slightly louder, gripping her hands as well. When she released him, he took a moment to do the same. Sarah would've smirked if she could as she reached up and delicately tapped his shoulder. Jareth fell to his knees in front of her, face turning upwards, and his eyes... for a moment, they were wild.

Then, drawing a deep breath, he seemed to calm himself. The music ended, and he slowly stood, smiling at her.

"Precious that was-" Jareth stopped, eyes widening, and Sarah stared up at him.

He'd called her precious.

Jareth stared down at her, shock and realization at war with each other on his face. He took in everything. Her hair, the same lovely shade of brown. Her skin, still so creamy and unmarked. The way she carried herself, even. The subtle arrogance, and less than subtle defiance. Her damnable attitude, so plain even when she couldn't speak. He was a fool for not knowing sooner.

Jareth parted his lips and spoke one word, whispered like a prayer:

"...Sarah?"

-

Little One was walking along the edge of the Labyrinth, well outside her king's protection, when Arcadia appeared next to her. They were hidden in the shadows, Little One's home and Arcadia's domain, and Little One knew that no one would be able to see her, should the dark fey deign to hurt her.

"So, how is my favorite little traitor?" Arcadia whispered, one hand resting on the child's shoulder.

Little One tried to shake the woman off, but she wouldn't budge.

"Don't want to talk? Pity. Alright, tell me everything you know. Skip anything, and you'll wish I'd killed you when you couldn't solve that little puzzle."

Little One sighed, staring at the Labyrinth behind her for a long moment before stepping closer to Arcadia.

"After your visit, he's tightened security so much that not even you could get in. He was livid, you know. The girl didn't know, he's careful with her, but he nearly bogged half the castle. The goblins are still cleaning up the glass from all the crystals he broke. Anyway, he bandaged her hand himself and had her sit with him while he supped, then sent her to bed with one of his best goblins to guard her door. He worked on seating arrangements and other stuff for the ball for a little while, then started doing the magic that's keeping you out now." Little One paused, the sour shame of betraying Jareth taking it's toll on her. "It took a lot out of him, he won't be strong enough to do anything major until the ball, at least."

Arcadia smiled at that, and Little One felt sick and guilty.

"Um, the girl had a nightmare last night, too." She said, continuing her report. "And he stayed in her room weaving dreams until morning, when the big red thing he calls Ludo came to replace the goblin at her door. When I came to meet you in the shadows at the edge of the Labyrinth, as per your orders, she was getting ready to have a dance practice with him."

Arcadia nodded, stepping back.

"You've done well, I'll let you keep your life until next time. Watch vigilantly for me, child, and bring me more good news. Report back in two days, and be sure to keep an eye on the girl. I want her unharmed for when I come to take her in nine days time. Don't let him know who she is, or you'll regret it. Alright, begone."

And Little One took off, running through the Labyrinth as fast as her little legs could carry her. She felt like she was going to be sick, but in the end settled for curling up in the cleanest Oubliette she could find and sobbing as hard as she could at her repeated betrayal of her king, and her new betrayal of her friend.

She could only hope that whatever fate lay in store for the two, it wasn't a bad one.


	8. Little Game

Jareth stared at Sarah for a long moment, and she shivered under the intensity of his gaze.

"How did I not see it?" He whispered, leaning close. She could feel his breath on her mask.

The word mask took a little from the sexual tension she could have felt, but only a little. Sarah scrambled for her book, effectively breaking away from Jareth. He straightened up, watching her, and she stared at him for a moment, trying to think of something she could write. She couldn't think of a damn thing.

"Sarah... you've grown." He murmured, giving her body another look. "How many years has it been Above?"

' _Seven._ ' Sarah wrote, feeling real hope for maybe the second time since she'd been in the Underground. He knew who she was, now he just needed to tell her he loved her.

"Seven years. So long, precious. You've come back after so long." He seemed to think for a moment. "At least I know now why my magic doesn't work on you."

You have no power over me. Sarah remembered the words she'd spoken seven years ago. She'd always remember them.

Jareth stepped closer to her, pushing her hair back, and he froze as he spotted the newest crack on her face.

"Oh, precious, how can I help you?"

Right at that moment, as Sarah stared up at him imploringly, Hoggle burst through the doors.

"Sire!- oh, is I interrupting something?" The dwarf gave Sarah a look that wasn't quite insulting, but could be.

"Yes, but as you've burst in so rudely, I assume it is something of import?" Jareth growled, rounding on the dwarf.

"Erm, well, you sees, the shadow is in one of the Oubliettes. I can't get her to leave." Hoggle muttered nervously.

Jareth cursed, giving Sarah a firm look.

"Stay here. Hoggle, keep an eye on Sarah while I fetch Little One." And, ignoring Hoggle's stunned shout of 'Sarah?!', Jareth disappeared in a flash of light and glitter.

Sarah didn't give Hoggle a chance to demand an explanation from her, instead grabbing her book.

_'Hoggle, do you know where I can get one of Jareth's crystals?'_

-

He found her in the cleanest, darkest Oubliette in the Labyrinth- which he filled with light upon his arrival- , curled up on a straw stuffed mattress.

"Little One, come here sweet thing." He whispered, kneeling beside her. She gave a muffled sob, but didn't move.

Jareth sighed, scooping the pitiful creature into his arms, and she curled tightly into his chest.

"I'm so sorry, Majesty." She forced out, through her tears.

"Hush, child, I know." Jareth said, and the girl stilled, peering up at him.

"You know?" She asked, and Jareth heard fear in her voice.

"Of course I know. I've been keeping a close eye on you since your arrival in my kingdom, sweet girl, and I've seen your reports to Arcadia. I know the toll they take on you."

Little One sniffed miserably, finally looking away from him.

"Do you hate me?" She asked, and Jareth laughed.

"Of course not, silly girl. I couldn't hate you. If I had, I'd have cast you out of my kingdom after the first time you spied on me for that witch. No, I know you had no choice, just as I know you won't be continuing it."

"I won't?" Little One whispered, voice laced with confusion.

"No, child, you won't. It's too dangerous now. She could hurt you. She would hurt you. I know who 'Pet' is now, and I care far too much for you to let you relay that information. No, you'll be staying in the castle and in the light until I can find a way to ensure your safety."

There was a beat of silence, and then Little One wrapped her arms around Jareth, hugging him tightly.

"Thank you for not leaving me." She whispered.

"I'd never leave you." Jareth replied, and then he waved his wrist and took them home.

-

Sarah stared into the crystal, eyes crinkled in adoration, even as they teared up.

"Sarah? I think he's returning now, and yah don't wanna be caught with one of his crystals when he does." Hoggle said, drawing her attention away from the now empty orb.

Sarah nodded, handing it back to him, and he rushed to put it back where he got it.

As soon as he left the room, Jareth re-appeared in it, arms empty. At Sarah's questioning look, he explained.

"I took her to rest in her rooms, the poor child has worn herself thin."

Sarah nodded, eyes crinkling up at him.

"Now, precious Sarah, you and I need to work a bit on getting that mask off of you. Are you horribly adverse to letting me try a few spells on you?"

-

Arcadia's fist clenched, shattering the crystal held within it. Her face was filled with rage, twisting her pretty features.

"How dare he? How dare _she_?" She hissed, standing and pacing her bedroom.

"They think I can't destroy everything they care about? That brat thinks she can defy me?" As she spoke, her voice grew more and more shrill, unrestricted fury rolling through her.

"I'll tear them all apart!" She squealed, and the servant at her feet trembled.

Arcadia stopped, staring down at him.

"Aw, poor boy, am I frightening you?" She crooned sweetly, petting his face. All the anger fled her voice as quickly as it had appeared, and the boy leaned into her hand lovingly. He didn't have enough thought left in him to know how dangerous she was when calm.

As he leaned into her palm, black spikes gathered there to pierce his cheek. They spread through him like veins, filling his body, and the boy screamed.

As he screamed and screamed Arcadia threw her head back and laughed and laughed an unhinged, dangerous laugh.

"Oh, stupid girl." She whispered as the dead boy fell away from her. A new crystal appeared in her palm, showing her Sarah. The girl was laying in her bed as Jareth preformed a series of magic based tests on her.

"You poor thing." The dark fey whispered, tightening her grip on the crystal so that cracks appeared on the fine surface. "You think you can escape me."

And as she hurled the crystal into her fireplace, Arcadia laughed some more.


	9. Gods and Monsters

Sarah stayed as still as she could on the bed, eyes shut tightly. Every now and then the odd fidget told of her clear nervousness, but she trusted Jareth. To an extent. He did steal Toby once, but she asked him to, so really he was just doing what she wanted.

"Okay, precious, now I'm going to try and remove the curse. If it hurts in any way, just hold up your hand."

Sarah nodded to let him know she'd heard, and she felt her hair lift as magic filled the room.

And promptly slammed directly into her gut.

Her hand flew up, and Jareth was by her side instantly as Sarah sat up and cradled her stomach. It felt like she'd been hit by a car, but after a moment it subsided. She waved Jareth off, and he seemed to relax.

CRICK.

Sarah's hand jerked to her mask, and Jareth hurried back to her, just as a twisted laugh filled the room.

It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once, and clearly belonged to Arcadia.

"That's cheating, Sarah. Don't test me, or I'll do more than crack your mask next time."

The disembodied voice seemed to only be audible to Sarah, along with the laugh, because Jareth didn't seem to hear it. In fact, the only thing he seemed to care about at that moment was the newest fracture on Sarah's mask. The girl pulled her book to her and wrote in it shakily.

_'Maybe that wasn't the best idea.'_

Jareth let out a shaky laugh, running a hand through his already wild hair. Sarah could see he was tired and weak, and she felt guilty. He had dark circles under his eyes and was slumped where he sat beside her bed.

_'Jareth, go get some sleep. I'll still be here when you wake up.'_

He shook his head, and Sarah sighed. After a moment, she leaned back in her bed again.

_'Then at least move to a more comfortable chair.'_

He did, and promptly placed his head in his hands.

"I don't know how to help you, Sarah. My powers barely work on you, and Arcadia is sapping what little does."

The eyes of Sarah's mask crinkled at him, not unlike a sad smile.

 _'It's okay, Jareth. Just... sing to me a little? Your songs always make me feel better.'_ The excuse sounded piss-poor, even to Sarah, but Jareth seemed to buy it. He really was tired.

He sat up, giving her a sad look, and then he sang. Eventually, his words slurred together before drifting into a hum, and then nothing at all. His head lolled back against the chair, and Sarah shook her head before standing and grabbing the blanket off of her bed. She tossed it over him, and once it settled she left her room, shutting the door softly behind her.

She was in the garden a half hour later when Little One joined her. The garden was the only place outside the castle they were safe now, which meant no more labyrinth traipsing, but the size of Jareth's garden was enough that Sarah thought she could handle staying there for nine days. Little One seemed less eager, but she understood why certain measures had to be taken.

They walked in silence, for once, Little One taking Sarah's hand after the first few minutes of not talking. The faeries seemed withdrawn, barely even fluttering as the two passed. Apparently, they could sense the mood of the castle.

The plants themselves seemed lively though, and every now and then a leave or two seemed to reach out to pet them reassuringly. When they reached the pond, they sat under the peach tree together, watching the water fey play. Some kelpies grazed on the far side of the pond, watching the two girls curiously. Sarah was sure they didn't care for Little One, and she was far too well educated in the way of the fey to go near them, so she ignored them and after a moment they turned back to their business.

Sarah relaxed a bit, scribbling a note into her book.

_'Say what you want about the regular faeries, it's the water ones that are really creepy.'_

Little One let out a little snort at that, and Sarah got the sense that the child was rolling her eyes at her.

"You've met Cady, do you really think water fey are frightening in comparison?"

Sarah noticed her careful hesitation on the name she used for the wicked fey. Names have power, after all.

 _'Depends, does Cady lure her victims into the water to drown and eat them?'_ She wrote, turning the book so Little One could see.

"No, but what she does is worse." The child stated, and the somber mood settled back over the two.

"I've seen her do things, you know. I stayed with her for a week before she decided I'd be better off as a..." The girl trailed off, and Sarah placed her left hand on Little One's shoulder, using the other to write in her book.

_'It's okay, I already know.'_

Little One laughed in a self depreciating way.

"Yeah, who doesn't? I'm the worst traitor since Benedict Arnold."

'You aren't a traitor, you had no choice.'

Little One shrugged, looking out at the still waters of the pond. The water fey had vanished into it's depths when the girls' conversation had began.

"It doesn't make a difference." Little One muttered. "Anyway, I saw how she was. She's evil. If one of her 'servants' faltered in step, or showed the slightest sign of fear or awareness, she'd kill them. The larger the offense, in her eyes, the longer the death. And she tortured them for no reason at all. Miss, I watched those poor humans-no-more deliberately falter so that she would end them. I don't want that for you. You have got to find a way to end your curse. Defeat her like you did him."

Sarah sighed through the nose of her mask, staring up at the castle walls for a long moment as the memory of her defeating Jareth played out in her mind. She'd yet to find that room again in her exploration of the castle, and had to wonder if it was somehow only available when there was a runner, like some kind of fucked up Room of Requirement. Or maybe it was only available when Sarah herself was the runner.

 _'Have you seen every room in the king's castle yet, Little One?'_ Sarah questioned, and Little One laughed outright.

"It'd take more time than I've had for that, I'm afraid. His majesty's castle changes as the labyrinth itself does. So, sometimes certain rooms are in certain places, and sometimes they cease existing completely. The only rooms that are ever truly where they should be are the ones the king keeps that way, such as yours and mine. His room moves daily, just because he doesn't like the constant bothering of the goblins. Gods, I tried to find the library once, only to find out that it was deliberately hiding from me. Pesky things sometimes, libraries are."

Sarah really, really wished she could laugh. But that did explain why she got lost so easily within the castle in the center of the labyrinth. Really, given it's location, it only made sense that the castle was a part of the labyrinth itself.

"What do you think yer- Oh. It's you two."

Sarah's eyes crinkled happily as she turned to wave at Hoggle, who was clearly there to pick peaches, if the large basket he carried was any indication.

"Thought you was some sorta water fey stealing Jareth's peaches. Don't mind me, I'm just here to pick some for the royal ass."

Sarah learned that she could snort without a mouth, and Hoggle smiled at her as he pulled a ladder up to the tree and climbed up it.

"But you two'd better head on in now, sun's setting and Jareth don't want you out after dark."

Little One sighed and stood, dusting some non-existent dirt from her essentially non-existent form. Sarah wrote something in her book, and the child turned to face the branches that Hoggle had disappeared into.

"Sarah says for me to thank you and tell you your new ring looks lovely."

Hoggle said something along the lines of 'Oh, well, thank you too then.', and the two girls linked arms and headed inside. The halls were brightly lit now, but Little One walked Sarah to her door nonetheless. Ludo stood beside the door now, and he smiled when he saw Sarah.

"Sawah!"

"I guess I'll leave you here. You're lucky your guard has such a limited vocabulary. Mine keeps me up all night with all the 'milady' this and 'you miserable cur' that. That's not even mentioning his dog."

Little One continued her muttering as she walked down the hall, and Sarah wondered at the girl's strangely adult grumpiness. Then again, she'd been here long enough that she was hardly a child in mind anymore. Sarah hugged Ludo before entering her room, where Jareth was just beginning to stir. He peered at the bed drowsily, then shot out of the chair when he saw she wasn't in it. Before he could panic she was across the room, hands on his shoulders as she guided him gently back into the chair.

"I thought you were gone." He muttered, sounding mildly embarrassed.

 _'I told you I wouldn't be.'_ Sarah wrote, and he sighed as he rubbed his eyes.

"Well, I've wasted enough time sleeping I think. Come, Sarah, you can help me with the seating arrangements for the ball. We used to have goblins for that, but after three deaths by improper seating, I've decided it might be best if I do it on my own."

Sarah snorted again, and Jareth gave her a mildly adoring look once he was certain she wouldn't notice. She followed him to his study and sat as he directed her, gazing at the careful replica of his ballroom that was placed on his desk. Joining the ballroom was the reception area, where the guests would arrive and dine before the doors to the glorious ballroom were opened.

"Alright, precious, a few details. The troll king absolutely must be kept as far away from the faery and elf queens as possible. And me, preferably. Trolls are disgusting brutes. So it's probably best he is sat near the king of satyrs, way over here." Jareth waved his hand and a tiny flag with the crude depiction of a troll flew across the tiny dining area and pinned itself to a chair, right beside another flag with a satyr on it.

"The faery and elf queens can sit together, of course. The high king and queen require a table at the front of the room with me and a few other highly ranked court members. You and Little One will also dine at our table, simply because you are my chosen guests. Now, here we will sit the..."

For a while, Sarah listened to Jareth prattle on about seating, and then he paused. There was only one flag left, and consequently only one empty seat.

"Well... Maybe it wouldn't hurt to sit the troll king with us after all."

Sarah looked at the flag curiously, and felt the eyes of the mask widen.

Arcadia.

"But it would not be wise to anger her on the one night she can enter my domain..." Jareth murmured, peering at the miniature reception area again. Sarah watched the gears in his head turn for a while before she plucked the flag from his fingers and smacked it right next to her flag at the tiny table. On her other side was Jareth, of course, with Little One beside him and his parents across from him. Jareth had marked a few seats with blank flags for any guests or guards brought by the monarchy attending, and Sarah noticed a new problem with Arcadia's seat.

'What if she brings someone else with her?'

Jareth shuddered.

"I'd pity the poor creature she drags along. She's done it before, they'll kneel beside her wordlessly if they know what's good for them."

Sarah nodded, feeling a pang of pity for whoever else was under the witch's evil grasp.

"Don't worry, precious, most of them don't have any humanity or sanity left, and thus feel very little emotion. Those with strong minds don't last long once she has them in her grip."

 

 _'If I fail, will I be like them?'_ Sarah asked, her hand shaking.

Jareth's hands clenched into fists as he read her words.

"You won't fail. But if... if you did. Well, Sarah, there have been worse fates, and she has caused many of them."

There was a long moment of tense silence at this. After a minute or two, Jareth clapped his hands together, making Sarah jump.

"Well, I'll send the arrangements then. You go ahead and go get some sleep, Sarah, and do as you please tomorrow morning, for I have to visit the High King, but I should be back by noon-time."

Jareth stood, helping Sarah to her feet. He watched her walk down the hallway until she rounded a corner and disappeared from his sight, and then he sank back into his seat and rubbed his eyes.

"Oh, Sarah, how can I save you from this?" He muttered, deep in thought.

Suffice to say, the next goblin to enter the king's study unannounced received a prompt and unexpected dip in the bog of eternal stench.


	10. Damage

Sarah woke up early the next day. The sun was barely up, and her room still held the dimness befitting early morning. Her reason for waking up so early was clear the moment she opened her eyes.

There was a pounding ache in her head.

Sarah stumbled into the bathroom and stared into the mirror, eyes wide. The newest addition to her collection of cracks stretched cleanly across the forhead. It was much more visible than any previous crack, and Sarah was certain it was the source of the pain she felt, and the strange drain she could already feel on her energy.

Jareth was going to have a stroke.

She tried not to focus on it too much, as she couldn't really do anything, and instead decided to go see what Little One was up to.

She managed to find herself in front of the shadow girl's door in under and hour, and let her eyes crinkle happily when her suspicions of who was guarding it were confirmed.

 _'Hello, Sir Didymus.'_ She wrote, and the little man peered up at her.

"Sir Hoggle has told me that thou art milady Sarah, is this true?" He asked, not moving from beside the door.

Sarah nodded, and he made a happy noise.

"Well then, milady, pleased though I am to see you once more, I do wish the face I gazed upon could be yours."

Sarah sighed, the thought of 'you and me both' running through her head before she remembered why she'd come.

_'Where is Little One?'_

"Ah, yes, the small maiden fled her room at dawn, milady. I believe she taking up play elsewhere in the castle."

_'Oh. Well, thank you, Sir Didymus. Wish me luck finding her!'_

As Sarah walked away, Sir Didymus shouted 'Good luck!'

-

An hour later, Sarah was completely lost. Again. She really did not enjoy searching for things in Jareth's castle, as they tended to not want to be found. Sarah sighed and turned down another corridor.

And came face to face with a huge mirror.

She stared into it, eyes wide, and then the glass seemed to ripple and it was no longer her mask she was looking at. It was her real face. Sarah gasped, reaching out to touch the glass.

Her fingers went right through. The entire surface rippled around the girls fingertips, and her eyes widened even more as she slowly stepped through the mirror-door.

And into the library.

-

Little One was curled in the bottom of the pond, watching the water fey swim about. Her mind was stuck on her betrayal, and how the king had known all along, and she could not even enjoy the graceful oddities that dwell within the water. She burst through the surface and crawled onto land, completely dry. She was on the side of the pond without the peach tree, standing right beside a large rose bush that was mostly thorns now. The shadow girl craved solitude, so she climbed through the brambles and emerged into a small, forgotten area of the garden. There was a stone bench there, and a fountain. Most of this area was filled with overgrowth, and Little One knew from books that it was reserved for the future Queen.

But, as there was no queen, she didn't see any harm in hiding here. The overgrown rose bush would hide her from any who came searching. Little One curled up on the stone bench and let her tears take her once more.

-

Sarah peered around the huge library, fingers skimming over a book here and there as she walked. Every now and then a book would feel different from others. Some were so hot she'd jerk her hand away, and some were cold as ice. One or two sent a little shock through her.

Then came the one that flew into her hand the moment her fingers brushed it.

Sarah stared at the book, entitled The Champion of the Labyrinth. A scan of the first page lead her to conclude what the title made her suspect. It was a book about her.

Sarah settled onto the floor with her back against the shelf and began reading.

-

"What're yah doing in the queen's garden?"

Little One jumped, staring up at Hoggle. She managed to cut of her pitiful sobbing, although a little hiccup escaped her as she worked to find an answer.

"I come here when I want to be alone." She whispered, moving to sit on the bench properly as she looked at the dwarf.

He had a pare of shears in his hands, and various other gardening tools tucked into his belt. Apparently he'd decided to tidy up the garden after all.

"No one ever comes here, I didn't think I'd be bothered." The child said, a frown in her voice.

"I come once a year to trim the plants." Hoggle explained grouchily, setting the shears down. "If I don't, it grows out of control."

Little One looked around as if to say 'what would you call this then', but before she could make the remark audible, Hoggle continued.

"Why was you crying?"

The child stiffened up a bit before letting out a huff and shrugging her shoulders.

"I don't suppose it makes a difference for you to know, as everyone important already does." She muttered, ignoring his offended mumbling. "I betrayed King Jareth and Miss Sarah to Cady. I've been betraying his Majesty since I got here, and when Sarah came Cady said I had to spy on her too now, just in case she entered an area that was shielded from Cady's crystals." Little One sniffled, and the dwarf's demeanor shifted from grouchy to sympathetic as she spoke.

"I didn't want to be a traitor, she would have done something awful had I said no."

"I know that feeling. I had to be a traitor one time too, yah know. Sarah and me was getting to close to the castle, and that brute Jareth made me give her a enchanted peach to slow her down. I never felt so bad in my life, but she forgave me. I'd be willing to bet my jewels they forgive you too."

Little One looked at the dwarf, for whom she'd held an intense dislike ever since she first met him. He had been unnecessarily rude to her, but she'd never given him much of a chance after. He didn't seem that bad, really, just a bit rough around the edges.

"Thank you, Hoggle." Little One sighed, staring at the overgrowth plaguing the queen's garden. It'd probably be beautiful once someone gave it a little care.

"Would you like me to help you work on the garden?"

Hoggle seemed stunned for a moment before he grinned.

"Sure, we'll start with the weeds." He said, motioning for Little One to follow him deeper into the garden.

And she did.

-

_The king offered the girl his love, and the girl turned away from him, taking his power over her and leaving the Underground with her baby brother._

Sarah had found the book to be extremely accurate, documenting things that even she didn't remember completely about the Labyrinth, right down to the directions her lipstick arrows were pointing.

_But what no one knew was that the girl had defeated the Labyrinth the moment she entered the castle, and the king's declarations were not a trick to keep her, but a true declaration of love. The king himself did not know this at the time, though it would later explain his melancholy at her leaving, though he'd deny it to all who asked, including himself. In the end, the girl left, and the Labyrinth's inhabitants could only wish she would return someday. The End._

Sarah stared at the pages, eyes wide. According to this book that had no writer, Jareth was in love with Sarah. With a huff, she shut the book and slid it back onto the shelf. It must have made a mistake. If Jareth had been in love with Sarah when she was fifteen, which was creepy, she wouldn't have nearly as much trouble getting him to say it now.

The girl stood and found her way to the exit. When she came out of the mirror on the other side, she was no longer in an abandoned corridor. She was in the kitchens. And then, without warning, Sarah was covered in soup.

She let out a muffled noise of surprise, staring down at her soup sodden clothing. Bits of carrot were caught in her hair, and the mixture she'd been doused in was already cooling.

"Oh noes, Groop covered lady in soup." A tiny goblin gasped, pointing at Sarah.

The goblin in question stared up at Sarah with wide eyes, blinking slowly.

"Oops." It said, and then all the goblins in the kitchen started laughing.

Sarah sighed through her nose, flicking her eyes heavenward in a short prayer for patience. She managed not to punt any goblins as she made a hasty exit from the kitchen and found her way back to her rooms, which were thankfully empty. Sarah stripped down and set about drawing herself a bath. Once she settled into the hot water she relaxed a bit, sighing. She took her time cleaning herself, deciding it might be safer to just stay in her rooms for the rest of the day.

With that in mind, Sarah finished washing and dried herself before slipping into a fresh pair of underwear and a robe. She opened the bathroom door, intending to find herself some sort of outfit in her closet, but was stopped short as Jareth looked up from his seat in her room.

It was then that Sarah remembered something. She hadn't bothered tying her robe.

Before Jareth's eyes could even widen in realization of what he'd just seen, Sarah snatched the robe closed. The mask may not allow for blushing, but Sarah felt the rest of her body flush with embarrassment.

"Well, precious, that was a delightful surprise." Jareth murmured, still not moving from his seat.

Sarah flipped him off as she stalked into her closet and shut the door. When she emerged a few minutes later, considerably more dressed, the Goblin King had a small smile on his lips.

"Shall I assume you were not expecting me?" He asked playfully. Sarah snatched her book off the bed and wrote in it angrily.

_'A proper gentleman would at least knock, Jareth.'_

Jareth laughed, and the flush on Sarah's neck seemed to darken.

"Yes, Sarah, but I am not a proper gentleman." Before the girl could come up with a scathing reply, he continued. "I hear you've found my library."

Her hand stilled and she looked at him for a long moment before nodding.

"Did anything interest you?" He asked, smiling, and Sarah found herself nodding again.

_'There was a book about me. It jumped right into my hand. I read it cover to cover and... And I think it had a mistake in it.'_

Jareth pursed his lips, simultaneously managing to look offended and pleased.

"I assure you, precious, not a single book in that library is flawed. They were all written by the library itself. Anything you read is true. Although, personally, I never did manage to read the book about your time here. I found it a little redundant, as I lived it. What was it you thought was a mistake?"

Sarah bit her lip before beginning to write, a tiny flare of hope blooming in her chest.

'It said-' But she didn't get to finish, because Little One chose that moment to burst through the doors.

"Majesty, something is wrong!" The child cried, holding something out to Jareth.

It was a crystal, and it was completely black. Before Jareth could take it, it popped.

"You dared defy me, and now you shall suffer the consequences. You must solve your riddle in three days time, or else the shadows shall turn and consume you. You had your chance to live in peace, child, now you will suffer for turning down my kindness."

With a cackle, Arcadia's magic laced voice faded into nothing. Sarah noticed then that the shadows around Little One seemed to be... rippling.

"What do I do?" Little One sobbed.

"Do not worry." Jareth whispered. "We will find a way."

They spent the evening together, Little One curled into Sarah's side. At half pasted nine, Jareth glanced at the girl and sighed.

"She sleeps."

Sarah nodded, toying with the spine of her book.

"I don't know what we will do. We can't tell her. Arcadia loathes cheating, she'd kill her anyway if we told."

Sarah smiled a little.

'We can hint. If we can't break the rules, we can certainly bend them.'

Jareth smirked at her.

"You're a sneaky one, Sarah."

Little One shifted against Sarah, murmuring in her sleep.

"You should go to bed. Oh, and Sarah, that new crack..."

Sarah closed her eyes. She'd expected it sooner, admittedly, but she still longed to avoid this conversation.

"...Never mind. Just tell me if anything feels different, won't you?"

Sarah nodded, immediately feeling guilty for the lie.

Jareth sighed and stood.

"Well, I am going to go devise a plan to bend the rules without breaking them. Would you like me to take her?"

Sarah shook her head, and Jareth smiled a little. He kissed her hair before he left the room, and Sarah sighed as she moved, with Little One, into her bed.

She lay there, watching the clock, until it struck thirteen and a new crack blossomed on her mask. She felt weaker still, and tried to ignore the pain and fatigue as she forced herself into an uneasy sleep.

Eight more days.


	11. Youth

Once he woke, Jareth took Little One and Sarah for a walk through the castle. He kept them in the light, so that there would be less shadow around the younger of the two.

Around noon, they found themselves in the Escher room.

Sarah was very pleased at the confirmation of the rooms continued existence.

"So, Little One, have you thought of your riddle much?" Jareth asked, and Sarah turned to watch him curiously.

"Yeah, I have, and I still don't get it." Little One muttered, kicking at a stair.

"Would you mind reciting it for us?" Jareth said from above them. Sarah turned her head up to watch him some more, but he'd already walked out of sight. The silly king found far too much enjoyment in the strange way gravity didn't work in the room full of stairs.

Little One cleared her throat, and Sarah turned back to her.

" _I am only one color, but not one size,  
I am stuck on the ground yet I easily fly,  
I am present in the sun but not in the rain  
I am doing no harm and feeling no pain._

 _What am I_?"

Jareth reappeared on the staircase beside them, humming.

"Yes, that's a tricky little number, but I think it'll be easier for you than most. Arcadia gave you a hint after all."

Sarah could sense Little One's confusion as the child spoke.

"But all she did was make me into this." The girl exclaimed, gesturing towards her body, but Jareth would say no more. He simply smiled and gestured for them to follow him as he vanished up another staircase. The resulting game of hide-and-seek was mildly exhilarating, especially once they realized that Jareth wasn't very patient. If they took to long to find him, he'd jump out and give a little shout before moving to a new place.

Eventually a goblin came searching for him, squeaking something about complications with the decorations for the ball, and Jareth showed the girls back to Sarah's room before disappearing to take care of whatever the problem was. Little One settled deep in her own thoughts, though she wasn't content to stay in Sarah's room for long. Soon they went hunting for the mirror into the library again. They, instead, found a room of lost and broken things, which they explored curiously. It was beautiful, in a tragic way. Tangled wind chimes hung from the high ceiling, and every now and then they'd give a faint jingle even though there was no wind. There were old toys and trinkets laying about, tangled jewelry and long forgotten journals. The walls were lined with broken mirrors and the room was so large that the other side could not be seen. Around dusk, Sarah felt faint, and Little One had to assist her back to her rooms.

"Are you okay, Miss Sarah?" The girl asked, as she helped settle the weak woman on her bed. Sarah's eyes crinkled placidly, and she shrugged.

No, she wasn't even a little okay.

"Should I fetch the king?"

At Sarah's vehement shake of her head, the child settled back, unsure of what she could do. It was clear the mask was taking it's toll.

"I'm sorry this happened to you." Little One whispered.

Sarah found her book in the bed and wrote a short response.

_'I'm sorry it happened to you, too.'_

Little One stayed until Sarah was asleep, and then she left. Jareth entered Sarah's room around 13'O'clock and settled next to her, watching the new crack etch itself into her mask.

"How you turn my world, you precious thing." He murmured. Not the right words, but enough that the tossing Sarah was beginning to do settled, and she eased back into a peaceful sleep.

Words have power. The right ones can even break curses, or defeat kings.

-

On Sarah's sixth day in the Underground- only seven days left- she found herself in a new part of the garden. Little One explained that it belonged to the goblin queen, should one ever rise, and had been quite overgrown when Sarah arrived. It still had a good deal of overgrowth, Sarah noted, but it did look like someone had tried to care for it recently. There were no weeds, and the grass was a reasonable height.

"Hoggle and I plan to work on it some more once I break my curse." Little One explained, and Sarah's eyes crinkled in joy at her new friend and her old friend forming a bond.

 _'Have you thought much about what Jareth said?'_ Sarah wrote, and the child sighed.

"Yeah, and it doesn't make sense. Ow!" She slapped at a tendril of shadow that had broken away from the others to jab her.

"They're getting out of control." She muttered. "Damnable shadows."

Then she blinked, and looked at Sarah.

"That's all Arcadia did, is make me a shadow. Was that the hint?"

Sarah said nothing for fear of bending the rule too far, and the child seemed to accept her lack of an answer as an answer in itself.

"I am only one color, but not one size,  
I am stuck on the ground yet I easily fly,  
I am present in the sun but not in the rain  
I am doing no harm and feeling no pain.

What am I?"

Little One stared at her hand, formed completely of shadow, and then at the writhing shadows that followed her.

"Oh my Gods, has it been right in front of me the entire time?" She whispered, then she laughed. "What am I? I am a shadow, of course. The answer is a shadow, isn't it?"

She looked at Sarah hopefully, and then gasped as the shadows following her retracted with a hissing noise. Well, Arcadia wasn't going to be happy. But before there was time to celebrate, Little One fell backwards and into the fountain. Sarah moved quickly, dragging the unconscious girl- who was still very much a shadow- from the water. Seeing as she did not have a mouth to call for help, Sarah settled for carrying the girl piggyback style back to the castle.

If she was right about the time, Jareth would be holding court, so Sarah headed towards the large throne room,which the garden door was thankfully close to today. The girl on her back seemed to grow heavier with each step.

When she pushed through the- in her opinion- far too large double doors that lead into the throne room, Sarah found herself immensely relieved at the sight of Jareth on the throne, in full Goblin King regalia. He made for an intimidating sight, and the group of faeries that Sarah had yet to meet seemed to agree, but at that moment Sarah didn't care what he was wearing.

He could have been stark naked and she wouldn't have faltered in her step.

The Champion of the Labyrinth marched right up to the steps of the Goblin King's throne,shoving a few stubborn fey aside, and gently deposited Little One at Jareth's feet. Jareth stood, ignoring the astonished and mildly appalled whispering of the fey in his court. A few spoke quietly and angrily about the bold young woman who'd dared interrupt the court, but others voiced concern for Little One, whom they had met before. Most of them were just visitors from other courts trying to ensure a place at the ball.

"Sarah? What is wrong?" The king asked before causing the court fey to gasp in astonishment as he knelt beside the clearly shaken woman.

Sarah scribbled in her book quickly as Jareth turned Little One's head towards him.

 _'She solved it! We were in the garden and she solved it, and then she just collapsed.'_ Sarah wrote, her hand trembling so badly that the words were barely legible.

Jareth stood up, staring at the confused and stunned fey in the room.

"Court is to end early today. I apologize for the inconvenience, any wishing private words with me may stay and await my return."

Then he scooped the shadow child into his arms and motioned for Sarah to follow him from the room.

-

Arcadia smiled over her meal, enjoying the feeling of her skin stretching without the unpleasant sensation of cracks shifting. The longer Sarah withered under Arcadia's curse, the better the dark fey felt.

Arcadia finished the meal before standing. One of her servants moved in to clear the plates and was knocked to the floor at once by the evil woman's left hand. She stood without a sound and continued her task mindlessly. Arcadia grinned as she knocked her to the ground again. This game continued until Arcadia grew bored and exited the room, leaving the girl's face a bloodied and bruised mess. But still, she continued her task.

Once she reached her rooms Arcadia conjured a crystal. She settled into a large arm chair and propped her feet on the girl who knelt the fastest. The other two would feel pain for not being fast enough.

The dark faerie peered into her crystal, willing it to show her the child. For the first time in seven years, it would not do so. That could only mean that the girl was no longer in Arcadia's grasp. The crystal shattered, shards of it landing on the unmoving servant beneath her, and Arcadia stood and stormed from her room and onto the balcony. She stared out into the dark for a long moment before tipping her head back and releasing an awful scream. The shadows and darkness around her writhed and stretched, caressing her body.

"You'll regret your treachery yet, child." She hissed, before stalking back inside. "At the ball, you'll all regret angering me."

-

The sun set without Little One stirring. Sarah stayed by her side in the infirmary all evening, grasping her small hand firmly. Jareth said he could find nothing wrong with the child, and that maybe a curse that had been in place for so long simply took time to fade, but Sarah wouldn't leave her side. He'd called the court physician in too, and the man had been unable to wake the poor child. Felix, Sarah's cat, had eventually appeared and curled on the shadow girl's chest.

Sarah hadn't seen her cat in a while. His presence calmed Sarah a bit, for which she was thankful.

Once the sun was completely set, Jareth insisted Sarah return to her rooms and get some sleep. When she refused, he told her to at least nap in the bed beside Little One. Sarah still seemed unsure, and Jareth was becoming impatient.

"She will still be there in the morning, Sarah. You look exhausted."

And that much was true. Sarah felt drained and weak, a dull ache settling deep within her skull.

Everything was going wrong.

She hugged Jareth then, before he could leave her, and he stiffened in shock before slowly wrapping his arms around her as well. She was asleep in his arms a moment later, and he gently lowered her to the bed before leaving the room to see to the court fey he'd rudely abandoned earlier. He would need to do a few favors to make up for that particular rudeness, as holding court and answering all questions was his duty as a king. But Jareth knew just the right things to do and words to say to earn forgiveness in the eyes of those fey he'd offended.

If only he knew the right words to free Sarah from her curse.

If only he knew he'd thought those very words again and again, always in regards to her.

If only he knew.


	12. Guilty Pleasure

Sarah woke fairly early the next day, the pain and fatigue her mask caused having grown stronger still. She sat up, clutching her head as the last of the headache faded from her system, and then she turned to check on Little One.

The girl was the same, more or less. Except for her hands.

Sarah gasped, lifting the child's arm to get a closer look.

Her hands were no longer made of shadow. They were small, toffee colored, and at the moment completely limp.

"Precious? What are you doing?"

Sarah looked up, meeting Jareth's eyes, and then moved so that he could see the child's hand. He moved forwards quickly, examining the skin carefully before smiling. Sarah released Little One's arm and stood.

"This is good, the spell is fading."

He looked away from the child and smiled at Sarah.

"We should celebrate. Come, we'll practice dancing a little more. Don't fret, we'll check on her again in an hour."

Sarah allowed herself to be lead from the room, casting a final glance at the child. She felt guilty for leaving Little One, but a little fun couldn't hurt, could it?

Once they reached the ballroom, Jareth summoned a musical crystal and let it float above them. It played a calming melody and Sarah felt the tension fading from her body as Jareth pulled her close. They swayed and twirled gently around the room, Jareth humming along to the melody as Sarah pressed herself against him. His lips brushed her ear as words joined the music, and he sung softly along.

Sarah's eyes crinkled up at him lovingly, and he smiled down at her, one hand moving to push her hair out of the face of her mask.

"Even with your curse, you're still enchanting, precious thing." He murmured.

Sarah was breathless. Figuratively at first, and then, as the song faded into something faster, literally.

She danced as best as she could, but the longer she moved the worse she felt, and shortly into the third song she stumbled and collapsed against Jareth's chest, trying desperately to catch her breath and find the strength to stand.

Her head ached, and she clutched at it as Jareth carefully maneuvered himself so that he was sitting with her sprawled in his lap. She stared up at him, feebly hoping he might not be too upset, but upon meeting his stormy gaze, that hope shattered.

"Sarah," he hissed, teeth clenched tightly, "you have been lying to me."

She shuddered at the audible fury in his voice, attempting to move away from him without success. Even if she'd had the strength to pull away, his arms were like strong around her, hard and immobile.

"You told me it didn't hurt, precious. You told me you'd tell me if you felt anything. I do not appreciate being lied to, Sarah-mine."

Sarah fumbled with her book, hand trembling as she wrote quickly, hoping to calm the irate king.

_'I'm sorry, Jareth. I really didn't want you to worry about me. I'm sorry, please don't be mad.'_

Jareth stared at her for a moment before an eerily calm smile formed on his lips.

"I'm not mad, Sarah-dear, I am absolutely furious. I ought to drop you into an Oubliette for the foreseeable future. I ought to hold you over the bog for the next twenty years." As Jareth spoke, his voice grew louder and louder until he was nearly shouting into Sarah's face.

She shook against him, her hands releasing her book to cover her ears. He quieted after a moment, the tight grip he had on her growing lax. She slowly looked up at him, taking in his withdrawn appearance. He looked so worn down and brittle, it made Sarah's heart ache.

"Never lie to me again, Sarah." He whispered. "I can't help you if you lie."

Sarah gingerly lifted her book off of the ground and wrote her response to him, slowly and carefully.

_'I won't, Jareth, I promise. I'm sorry.'_

He sighed, hugging her close.

"All is forgiven, precious, but do not apologize like that to any other fey. They'd be offended at it, as they would the term 'thank you'."

She nodded, and he helped her to her feet before walking her down the halls and back to Little One's room. The healer was back in the room with her, obscuring Sarah's view, and he politely but firmly informed the king that he needed solitude to work.

"Let's take a walk in the gardens then, Sarah." The king murmured in her ear, tugging her away from the door. She caught a glimpse of the little girl's arm as they walked away. Her real arm, no longer a shadow.

Her mood was much improved when she finally sat on the stone bench in the queen's garden, Jareth taking a seat beside her. He gazed about curiously, taking note of the clear improvement in the state of the garden. She watched him, her usual silence growing light as the words she always ached to say left her. This was a quiet place, and she actually enjoyed her silence here.

Jareth stared into the fountain for a while, enjoying the silence just as much as Sarah. When she leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder, he glanced down at her.

She'd fallen asleep.

Jareth laughed a little, quietly, and carefully pulled a crystal from thin air to magic the two of them into her room. He carefully settled Sarah onto her bed, pulling a blanket up around her, before moving to a nearby chair. There were six days left before the ball, and he knew his parents and a few other choice guests would be arriving within the next day or so. He'd warned them about Sarah, and informed them to treat her as they would if she were simply here as champion, not as a cursed human.

He hoped they'd listen. His parents could be stubborn at the best of times.

A stirring from Sarah's bed drew him from his thoughts, and he watched the girl sit up slowly and peer blearily around her room. She tugged her book from wherever she'd been keeping it, writing slowly.

_'Time is it?'_

Jareth smiled at the sleepy woman, gesturing towards the clock on her mantel.

"Nearly ten at night, precious. You should go back to sleep."

_'Little One?'_

Jareth frowned, conjuring a crystal and peering into it for a moment.

"Very little change. She is still unconscious."

Sarah nodded, falling back onto her bed with a small thump. A moment later, her book fell onto the floor and she was asleep once more.

Jareth stood from his spot near her mantel and moved to her side. He brushed her hair back and kissed the forehead of her mask before gingerly lifting the book from the floor and placing it on her dresser.

Then, the goblin king left the champion to her dreams, wishing for them to be happy ones once more.

-

Sarah woke early the next day, the dull ache in her mask barely noticeable for once. Five days left, and she was beginning to resemble a broken doll. The cracks along her face were concerning to look at, and she tried to avoid mirrors.

This particular morning, she dressed fairly quickly and headed to the infirmary. Upon opening the door, she was stunned to find it empty. She rushed about the castle, checking every nook and cranny she could find for the child, but there was no sign of her.

Finally, she came to the garden. At first Sarah was certain the child was not there, but then she heard a small giggle from the Queen's garden. She followed the sound, and happened upon a wonderful sight.

A little girl sat in the garden, surrounded by fairies. Her black hair was slowly being worked into braids by the tiny fairies, who laughed happily as they worked. She was the same shade of brown as her hands had been, with lovely, chocolate colored eyes that peered up at Sarah as she approached.

Sarah pulled out her book, which she'd found on her dresser this morning, and addressed the happy child who sat in the garden.

_'Little One?'_


	13. Pity Party

The girl smiled at Sarah, gesturing for her to sit beside her. Sarah knelt on the grass, tilting her head to the side.

"My name, Sarah, I got it back." The little girl said, beaming up at Sarah. "I'm not Little One anymore, I'm Bliss!"

Sarah's eyes crinkled happily at the girl, and after a moment she hugged her close.

 _'I'm so happy for you, Bliss. And that is a wonderful name.'_ Sarah wrote. And it was. Even if it was slightly ironic, given the child's life up until then.

"Are you two gonna help me with this garden or do I gotta make the goblins run you off?"

Sarah turned to face Hoggle, and burst into silent giggles at the sight that greeted her.

The poor dwarf was hanging upside down by some very animated vines.

Sarah gestured for Bliss to get moving, and they both went to help out the poor dwarf, and then helped him take care of the garden.

Jareth came out around mid-day to watch them work, smiling softly. They'd finally finished the weeding, and had just begun to work on the actual plants, trimming the overgrowth and making sure everything was healthy.

Sarah was humming from the back of her throat, the only music she could make, and Bliss was singing something that was vaguely familiar to Sarah. Some long forgotten lullaby.

She glanced up at Jareth, eyes crinkling happily as she dug her fingers into the soft soil, pulling up another weed.

"I simply came to announce the arrival of my parents. I believe I need to steal Bliss and Sarah from you, Hogsworth, they need to clean up a bit."

Hoggle grumbled a bit, but gestured for Sarah and Bliss to go ahead. The girls stood, Bliss absolutely bouncing with excitement.

"I can't believe I finally get to meet Queen Titiania and King Auberon without my curse making them act all..." She waved her hand around, her little nose crinkling in disgust, "empathetic."

"Empathetic." Jareth laughed, glancing down at the child on his left. "That is quite the word, Bliss. Where in the Underground did you pick that one up?"

"A book. And you know what else is 'quite the word'? Pompous." Bliss quipped, a mischievous little grin quirking at the corners of her lips.

"Oh bog it, Sarah's rubbing off on you." Jareth grumbled, the disgruntled expression on his face only souring further when Sarah's book was shoved unceremoniously into it.

_'Who, me? Call YOU, the great and mighty Goblin King, POMPOUS? Why I'd never, sire. Highness. Majesty. Your royal tightness.'_

After a moment of stillness, Jareth batted the book away from him and glared down at Sarah, who somehow managed to give him a cheeky look, even with the expressionless mask attached to her face.

"First of all, Precious, highness is a title reserved for princes, and one should only call a king that if they wish to enjoy a bogging, or, if the king is kind, a beheading. Secondly, paper isn't meant to hold that much sarcasm. Third, and finally, tightness?"

With each word Jareth spat at Sarah he took a step closer to her, resolutely backing her into the cold stone wall of the corridor. Bliss seemed to have run off, Sarah noted, possibly around the time Jareth had subtly threatened Sarah with a bogging. Jareth, on the other hand, was very much still there, and currently his face was way to close to Sarah's.

She didn't even have lips, so she couldn't change the situation.

Cautiously, Sarah wrote in her book once more, before bringing it up to cover the bottom half of her mask. Jareth backed up slightly to read it, his brow furrowing in confusion.

_'Your breath stinks.'_

It didn't really, of course, but Sarah couldn't help but push him a little more. She always liked to push the envelope a little.

The book suddenly being torn from her hands and flung across the hall told her that the envelope had been pushed way too far.

Jareth was red in the face, fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white, and Sarah was fairly certain he was starting to glow a little. She came to the conclusion that, even though she loved to annoy him, maybe she needed to diffuse this situation for once.

So she hugged him.

Her arms wrapped around his waist snugly, tugging him close, and she was a bit surprised at how right it felt. Her head nestled perfectly beneath his chin, her curves just seemed to fit him.

He remained tense for a long moment, and Sarah feared she might be bogged after all, but then he slowly relaxed, and after a moment his arms came up to wrap around her as well, one hand on her back and the other on her head, fingers running through her hair.

She had to wonder how they'd avoided this so long, when it was so meant to be.

She also had to wonder what more intimate things would be like with him, if hugging felt like this. She'd experienced dancing with him, and that was just as exhilarating, so maybe everything else was just as, or somehow more wonderful than that.

Her lips tingled beneath the mask at the thought. Someday, she wanted to kiss him.

 _Someday I'd also like to see what his tightness has under those tights as well._ Her sex drive chimed in.

After a moment more, the two separated, Sarah looking up at the Goblin King in a way that was almost apologetic. (Not quite, because she wasn't exactly sorry, but close enough to calm him.)

He stared down at her for a moment before sighing and running a hand through his hair.

"Whatever am I to do with you, precious thing?"

After that, the day went smoothly. Jareth returned her book to her and helped her pick out a dress, which a few female goblins- of the tamer sort- helped her put on after she'd bathed. Bliss came to her room around noon to help with her hair, and together they'd gotten it into a gorgeous braid that wrapped around her head like a crown. Makeup was, of course, unnecessary for Sarah, and Bliss was too young for it, so both of their faces remained untouched.

Their dresses were lovely though. Bliss wore a soft cream color that faded into a mossy green at her knees. The edges seemed vaguely worn, and with the mossy color they gave a natural feel to the outfit. The material was double layered, with one sheer and one not, and the green areas of the dress were also lined with flowers that bloomed whenever light hit them. The dress suited Bliss quite well, Sarah noted. She looked like she ought to be asleep in the garden somewhere, the faeries fluttering around her playfully.

Sarah's dress was quite different from the child's. It was medieval in style, made of the softest velvet and colored a deep, royal blue. The sleeves were long and loose, set at an angle that left one side nearly touching the floor, but managed to keep her hands visible. It had a low neckline for it's style, giving just a peek of Sarah's cleavage. Around the waist a thin, silver ribbon had been wrapped several times before being tied, the long ends of it hanging loosely from the front of her waist.

To finish her look, Sarah wore a soft, blue choker, from which a small crystal hung, not unlike those Jareth conjured.

She'd chosen simple slippers to match the dress, too fearful of tripping over her own feet to go for something more bold. Once they were both dressed- and had had some time to compliment each other- the girls sat down to talk about the approaching dinner. Bliss informed Sarah that Jareth was having a short, private chat with his parents before introducing Sarah, likely to try and keep them from embarrassing him and her both. After they finished talking, Jareth should be by to fetch the girls.

"Don't worry Sarah, they'll love you." Bliss assured Sarah, smiling brightly. "Who wouldn't?"

-

"I don't see why you're keeping the poor thing alive, Jareth." Auberon said casually, flipping through some papers his son had left out.

His wife shot him a look, but the High King either did not notice or did not understand, because he continued.

"She's clearly got a heavy curse on her, and since she'd been here Arcadia's powers have only grown. Her darkness edges on the border of the elfin cities, and they will not survive a war against her. You need to end this before it is too late Jareth, you need to take away the source of her power."

The Goblin King let out a vicious sound, slamming his hands on his desk as he rose quickly, glaring into his father's eyes as if daring him to speak again.

"You act as though I know none of this, when it has been happening right before my eyes. I will not destroy the one I-" He stopped, jaw tensing as he worked to find the words he had abruptly lost. "I will not destroy Sarah."

Auberon stared at his son, speechless at what was almost said.

"I apologize, Jareth, I did not know."

"You still do not know." Jareth spat, moving around the desk and quickly opening the door. "Dinner is to be served in precisely thirty minutes, please do not mention anything that was said in this room while in the presence of Bliss or Sarah."

The door shut rather firmly behind him, almost slamming, and Titiania gave her husband a stern look.

"You should not have brought something so serious up, now our son is cross with us." She hissed, crossing her arms. "If you had asked I'd have informed you that he's in love with the poor girl."

The High King took a moment to look ashamed as he apologized to his queen.

"Just let your son know you did not mean your words, my love." She murmured, taking his face in her hands and kissing his lips tenderly. "And all will be forgiven."

Auberon left the room, and the High Queen sat back down, summoning a crystal and twirling it absentmindedly as she pondered her son's predicament.

"Oh, yes, they love each other." She whispered drowsily, stretching out for a short nap before dinner. "They just don't know it yet."


	14. Jealous Girl

Bliss and Sarah were in a deep discussion about whether or not Sarah should be insulted if they put a plate in front of her, seeing as she couldn't exactly eat, when a knock sounded at their door.

Bliss hopped up before Sarah was even completely vertical, opening the door to reveal a smiling, but tense, Jareth. When his eyes rested on Sarah he relaxed, eyes traveling briefly over her body before settling on the eyes of her mask.

"I've come to escort the two of you to dinner. My parents shall be dining with us, and just to avoid any trouble I have brought in some non-goblin servers to see to our needs." He smirked a bit here. "Goblins can be useful for some things, but they're small and tend to spill the beverages."

"And we don't want the High King coated in summer wine." Trilled Bliss as she skipped ahead of them.

Jareth and Sarah kept a slower pace, staying beside one another. Jareth kept glancing down at her, and Sarah knew if her face was visible it would be very pink.

"Even though I cannot see your face, or your lovely, cruel eyes, Sarah-mine, you look absolutely lovely in that dress, and you're hair is perfect. I can't take my eyes off of you, and it is lucky that just my parents are dining with us tonight, for I'd be tempted to bog any man who looked twice at you."

Sarah ducked her head for a moment, unable to hold his gaze, but then she remembered her face couldn't flush, so she slowly looked back up. Her hands fumbled for her book, nearly dropping it, before she managed to get it open and write in it.

_'You've always been the jealous sort, Jareth, even when I was a child and the competition a dwarf.'_

Jareth laughed then, a full, happy sound, and Sarah felt her pulse flutter a bit.

"I can't help myself, Precious, you bring out my possessive streak." Jareth said, his voice dropping to a whisper so that the child ahead of them would not overhear. "Every time you even look at someone else I want to remind you that you are mine, even though you aren't. You said it yourself, even, that I have no power over you. But I still want it. I want power over you, Sarah."

Sarah had never experienced fear and arousal at the same time before, but when Jareth hissed his desires into her ear, she felt nothing else. Fear at the idea of giving anyone else power over her, and arousal at the idea of giving it to him.

 _'I could never let anyone have power over me unless I had power over them too.'_ She wrote, hoping he might not mind that.

Jareth let out a shocked noise, glancing rapidly from Sarah's book to Sarah's mask, but before he could speak Bliss reached the doors to the dining room.

"Jareth, I can't open it." She whined, tugging at the heavy wooden doors to no avail.

Jareth blinked a few times before breaking his gaze from Sarah's and taking a step forwards.

"Ah, one moment Bliss, I'll get that." He muttered.

He walked briskly away from Sarah- and very nearly stepped on Bliss- to pull both doors open at once. Were she on the other side, Sarah was certain she'd have been impressed, shocked, and mildly fearful of the strength exhibited by the Goblin king.

She was at least two of those things from the side of the door she was on.

"Mother, Father; you have both met this young lady before, but I must re-introduce her now that she has her name back. This is Bliss, whom you knew as Little One." Jareth announced, placing his hand on the child's back to nudge her into the dining room.

Bliss smiled sweetly at the two royal fey before dipping into a deep curtsy. After a moment she rose and a servant girl lead her to her seat.

Jareth waited for her to settle before continuing his introductions.

"The two of you have yet to meet my latest guest, so I am very pleased to introduce you to Sarah, Champion of the Labyrinth. Sarah, these are my parents. High Queen Titiania, and High King Auberon."

Sarah stepped into the room, trying her hardest to ignore the High Queen's small gasp, and dipped into a curtsy. She counted to three in her head before straightening up and allowing Jareth to take her arm and lead her to her seat, which was directly next to his spot at the head of the table, and right across from his mother. Bliss sat to Sarah's right, and once Sarah'd been seated Jareth took his seat to her left.

"Shall we?" He asked, and with a flick of his wrist their plates filled with food, and their goblets with drink.

"All refills will be handled non-magically, if you don't mind." Jareth murmured as an afterthought. "And now, let us dine."

For a few minutes things were silent as everyone ate, but they were far from comfortable. Jareth was tense once more, and the High Queen kept glancing at Sarah. Bliss was the only one at the table who seemed comfortable as she sipped at her beverage, which Sarah was sure was not meant for children.

"So, Jareth darling, why didn't the child return home once her curse broke?" Auberon asked, breaking the silence at last.

"Ah, yes." Jareth began, relief evident in his tone. "Bliss no longer retains enough humanity to survive in the Aboveground. It would seem that those who escape Arcadia's curses are still cursed, in a way. She is completely fey."

Bliss looked up then, frowning.

"It's only a curse to those who enjoyed their human lives. I would've died Aboveground without my curse, so it's really no different that I'd die there now. I just have somewhere else I can be now."

Auberon stroked his chin thoughtfully, gaze moving to rest on Sarah. "If your Champion breaks her curse, but finds she cannot return to the Aboveground, will it be a curse to her?"

His question was for Jareth, but it felt like it was for her, and she noted that Jareth could not seem to answer, because his eyes were on her as well. She thought for a moment, staring down at her untouched plate.

She didn't have much Aboveground anyway. Toby, maybe, but she was certain fey could at least visit, and that would be enough for her. Her job as a barista barely paid anything and she was clearly no closer to becoming an actress than she'd been at fifteen. Felix had come with her Underground, so really she had no reason to return Aboveground, except to collect some of her things.

Sarah looked up, meeting Auberon's eyes, and shook her head. No, it would not be a curse for her. It'd mean she'd get to stay with Jareth, and really that had been a wish of hers for a very long time.

Ever since she was old enough to really understand his offer.

The High King looked fairly surprised, and when Sarah glanced Jareth's way she froze, unable to look away. He smiling a wide, too-pleased smile, eyes warm as they met hers.

"So, the mask prevents her from speaking, yes? How does she communicate with you? Surely you ask more than just yes or no questions." Titiania asked, staring at Sarah's mask curiously.

Unlike when the High King had spoken, Sarah was certain Titiania's question was completely for Jareth.

"I gifted Sarah an enchanted journal, mother, so that she could communicate. I am sure she would be using it now, were it not rude to write at the dinner table."

The High Queen waved him off.

"She can write if she wants to, it's not rude if she's a mute. So, Sarah, do those cracks hurt?"

Jareth let out an infuriated noise, but before he could calm himself enough to speak Sarah had written her response.

_'The cracks themselves don't hurt, but the more of them I have the worse my head hurts, and the weaker I feel over all. Now if you don't mind, your majesty, I'd appreciate it if we did not discuss my curse anymore. If I say the wrong thing I will lose my hands, so it's best to stay away from that topic.'_

Once the queen read her response, Sarah shut the book and tucked it away. For several minutes nothing was said while those at the table digested Sarah's words.

"Well said, young one." The queen finally spoke, smiling warmly at Sarah. "I hope you survive your curse."

"By the Underground, mother, can you please think before you speak?" hissed Jareth, puffing up angrily, before wilting at the look Auberon sent his way.

"Pardon me, King Jareth," A vibrant, young servant girl smoothly interrupted the tense moment, moving close enough to Jareth for her stomach to brush his arm, "but you are in need of a refill."

As she bent to refill his cup, her upper torso brushed his shoulder, and Sarah narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

Jareth smiled at the girl, nodding his thanks, before he glanced over at Sarah's cup, which was also nearly emptied somehow. The somehow likely being Titiania, if her smug little smile said anything. Jareth caught the servant girl by the arm as she started to leave and smiled up at her. Her breath caught in her chest at the sight, like Sarah's did every time Jareth touched her, and the girl looked so annoyingly pleased with herself that Sarah almost wished the little tart would just fall right into the bog.

"Yes, Majesty?" The servant whispered, lashes fluttering lightly.

"Would you be so kind as to refill Sarah's cup as well?"

As soon as her name left his lips, the servant seemed to wilt. Her eyes hardened and her smile vanished, but she quickly shook her momentary displeasure off and plastered on a smile.

"Of course, sire."

She moved briskly to Sarah's side and refilled the cup as quickly as she could before retreating, shooting Sarah a dirty look as soon as she was out of Jareth's sight. Sarah felt unbelievably pleased at the girl's disappointment, and allowed her eyes to crinkle happily in response to the hateful look before realizing how possessive she suddenly felt of Jareth.

She couldn't help but wonder if it was just because she'd never had a reason to feel that way before, or if it was in response to him admitting a similar feeling.

Titiania and Bliss watched all of this with amusement, while Auberon took it upon himself to finish his first plate and start on seconds.

The meal went well after that, with everyone talking and eating happily. (Except Sarah, who could do neither, but she did contribute when she could, and she was happy.) Occasionally Jareth would need a refill of something and Sarah would have to give the overly enthusiastic servant a look, but other than that it was a pleasant evening. Once dinner ended, Jareth had a servant escort his parents to their room before he took Sarah's arm and began their nightly walk back to hers.

"That went well, I think, precious thing." He commented, shifting slightly to the side as Bliss ran past them, a small goblin on her heels. Her gleeful laughter echoed down the hall, even after she was out of sight.

Sarah nodded, trying to ignore the lingering jealousy she felt. When they reached her room, Jareth followed her in and closed the door behind him.

"So, what has you upset? Was is my mother? I apologize for her behavior."

Sarah's eyes widened momentarily before she quickly shook her head, snatching her book from the ribbon of her dress.

_'Your parents were both lovely, if a bit curious. I'm not upset at them at all, Jareth.'_

Jareth frowned, stepping closer to Sarah, who in turn stepped back. He rose a brow at this, taking another curious step forward, which Sarah again mimicked by stepping back. A bit more of this, and Jareth had her trapped against the wall once again.

"Sarah, what is it that's bothering you?" He asked, staring down at her.

She stared resolutely down at the floor, but Jareth was having none of that. He gripped her by the chin, turning her face up towards his.

"Tell me or I won't leave."

After a long, silent battle that consisted of Jareth's stern gaze and Sarah's defiant glare, the Labyrinth's champion sighed in defeat and began writing.

_'First of all, you're too stubborn. Secondly, I just didn't like that girl who was serving you. She was too touchy-feely. Other than that I had a lovely time.'_

Jareth stared at her for a moment after reading this before his eyes lit up with mirth and a playful smirk settled onto his face.

"You were jealous?"

And he sounded far too pleased with himself over that.

Sarah tried to jerk away from him, but his hands caught her by the shoulders and pushed her back against the wall, his face now completely serious as he stared down at her. After a long moment of silence he leaned down slowly and gently kissed the place in Sarah's mask where her lips would normally be.

"If I could, Sarah-mine, I would make your lips red and numb from mine. I would make it so your mouth may never know another, for it would only crave mine. Someday I will do that, and more. I-" He stopped there, to Sarah's disappointment, looking away from her for a moment before leaning down to kiss her mask once more.

Even though it wasn't the same as a real kiss would be, Sarah leaned into his arms, and after a moment he moved his lips to the real skin of her neck and jaw, peppering it with kisses before nipping lightly.

She arched into him, and he nearly lost all control, growling lightly against the skin of her neck and nipping a bit harder.

After a moment he pulled back, staring down at her mask. Were it her real face it would be flushed with desire and pleasure.

"Someday, Sarah, I will have all of you. But not until I've had your lips. Sleep now, and I will be back for you in the morning. We need to finish preparations for the ball, and go over your dancing one more time."

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and then he was gone. Sarah stared after him for a moment, and then jumped at the sharp chime of her clock as it struck thirteen. Her mask cracked once more- like clockwork- and Sarah gasped through her nose as a small piece fell to the carpet below her. She lifted the small piece with shaking hands. It served as an excellent reminder.

There were only four more days before the ball.

Her time was running out.

-

Arcadia stood at the edge of her land, eyes on the distant Labyrinth, barely visible from where she stood. Her carriage was approaching from behind, driven by the two servants she'd chosen to bring to the ball. Of course, only one would arrive with her.

She was already dressed for the ball as well, her own shadows wrapping themselves around her. Shrouding her in dark. They clung to her skin above the waist, but flared out at the hips. The tendrils that touched the earth seemed to writhe and stretch, reaching for something. At thirteen'O'clock on the night of the ball, they would find it.

"Four days until the ball, little girl." Arcadia whispered, smirking gleefully as she turned to climb into her carriage.


	15. Hold Me Down

She was dancing.

She couldn't remember her name, where she was from, what she was supposed to be doing. All she knew was the dance.

Her partner was a shadow, a blank slate on which she engraved her thoughts, fears, dreams, and desires. She shaped it into what she wanted it to be, and it was her masterpiece.

Like clockwork, it lifted her into the air and spun her. Tick-tock, tick-tock.

Her feet ached, her legs burned, but she continued. She danced, danced, danced.

Like clockwork. The same dance, forever. Tick-tock, tick-tock.

Time was continuing without her.

Tick-tock, tick-tock.

Her head exploded with pain, no, agony. Her legs, her body, was on fire. She continued dancing. Tick-tock, tick-tock. Crack, crack, crack.

Like clockwork. She burned.

The dance continued even after her body had burnt to nothing but ash and shadow. Tick-tock.

Tick-tock.

Like clockwork.

_"Time's up."_

-

Sarah sat up in bed, clutching her head as pain tore through it. It faded as quickly as it had come, but she remained still, the remnants of her strange dream echoing in her confused, frightened mind.

A knock at her door drew her from her reverie, and she looked up as it opened.

"Good morning Sarah." Jareth greeted her, stepping into her room and shutting the door behind her. From the hall she heard the loud arguing of Sir Didymus and Ludo. (Didymus being the loud one in that equation.)

Sarah stood slowly, all too aware of the deep ache all over her body, as though she'd run a marathon in her sleep. Or danced all night.

Jareth frowned at her cautious movements, his brow furrowing in concern.

"Are you alright?" He asked, stepping close when Sarah shook her head weakly.

She glanced around for her book, which was on her nightstand, before scooping it up and writing a response to him.

_'I woke up with another headache, and I feel like I haven't had any sleep. My entire body is sore and achy.'_

He read her reply before moving to her side, wrapping an arm carefully around her waist to lead her to a soft arm chair. He helped her sit down before taking a seat across from her.

"Well then, I shall attend to you today and help you avoid anything too strenuous while you rest."

_'So dance practice is canceled?'_

He smiled, sitting beside her and conjuring a crystal.

"Just until you feel a bit better, precious." He tossed the crystal, and when it burst a tray appeared on the table between them with a single goblet of drink on it. He took said drink and sipped it slowly before glancing up at Sarah again. "So, that hole in your mask, did it form last night?"

His voice was steady, but Sarah could see fear in his strange eyes.

She nodded, slipping a hand into the pocket of her pajamas to withdraw the small shard and hand it over to him. Jareth handled it tenderly, as though it were still a fragile attachment of Sarah's own body. Strangely enough, the pain from the initial break was long gone. The hole the shard left was completely numb. It was too small to properly look into, the shard itself only the size of her smallest fingernail.

"You don't hurt from it, do you?" Jareth asked worriedly, glancing from the shard to the hole it left behind.

Sarah shook her head and he nodded, slipping the piece into his pocket.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to examine this later. My father has agreed to help boost my magic for the ball, so that it doesn't drain me to the point of exhaustion." He smiled a grim little smile. "No one obeys the king who falls unconscious during his own ball. Oh, and I forgot to tell you the theme I believe. It didn't really matter, and still doesn't, because you are already prepared, though unwillingly and unwittingly, but it was decided at last year's ball that this year's ought to be a masquerade. As tried as I find the idea, Samhain is a time for donning disguises." He paused, sipping his drink. "At thirteen'O'clock all masks come off. Except yours, I suppose."

Sarah stared hard at the grooved wood of the table, internally screaming at the irony of it. She hated not being able to tell him that he was wrong.

Sarah listened to Jareth chat animatedly for a few hours, learning more and more about the upcoming ball. Apparently, it was the largest ball in the Underground, and had to move to a different kingdom each year just to avoid overexerting anyone. The magic used to pull it all together put a large strain on weaker fey, and a decent strain on the stronger. Jareth insisted that he would hardly notice if Arcadia's magic was not interfering.

The longer he spoke, the closer she felt to him. Occasionally she'd share a bit of information about herself as well, via her book. It was almost like a date.

Eventually, Sarah felt well enough to move around a bit more, and she told Jareth as much. He seemed relieved, standing quickly to catch her hand and pull her to her feet.

"Before we do any dancing, I think you ought to see some of the preparations." He said, taking on the air of an excited boy. He looked much younger when he smiled at her like that, and she felt her spirits improve drastically as he lead her into the massive ballroom.

It was nothing like the one in her dreams.

The ballroom was the same in a sense, of course, but it had been changed so much that she hardly recognized it. The walls were still mirrored glass, making the already massive ballroom seem ever the larger, but they were mostly draped in glimmering black silk. In the area reserved for dining Jareth had placed many tables, all draped in silk to match that on the walls, with a single crystal hovering above the center.

"The crystals provide the light, along with some light music. Whatever the table's head chooses shall play for those at said table, but will reach no further."

There were many interesting details in the ballroom that the dining area lacked, such as the large throne, not unlike Jareth's REAL throne. The floor itself was darker than it had been in the ball Sarah had experienced, and everything in the room glittered. There were nooks and crannies all over the massive room. Secret doors that, only around Samhain, Jareth informed her quietly, opened into parts of the castle Sarah had yet to see. A table that would hold wine and nectar sat at the edge of the room, it's cloth matching the dining room's down to the last sparkle. It bore two crystals, though they seemed dimmer. The whole room was fairly dim.

Sarah was just beginning to reach for her book to question the dim lighting when Jareth caught her hand. He pointed at the ceiling, a playful grin turning his lips at the corner, and he snapped his fingers.

At once, Sarah was staring at the heavens. More stars than she could count littered the area near the ceiling, all casting a gentle but bright light down on the room. There was even a moon, nearly full.

"The moon will reach center sky at thirteen'O'clock, exactly. By the ball, it will be completely full." Jareth commented. "It's a new trick I thought up, in honor of the one woman I'd move the stars for."

Sarah stared at the stars above her, trying to locate familiarity and realizing, when she could not, that these stars weren't from her world, but his. That only made them all the more gorgeous, and she leaned slowly into Jareth's chest, a light sigh escaping her nose when his arms gently twined themselves around her waist, his chin coming to rest lightly on the top of her head.

"All for you, my precious thing. I'd even turn back time for you."

Sarah's eyes crinkled, and she turned around in his arms, looking into his startled eyes as one finger delicately brushed his lips, the ghost of a kiss. Automatically, his tongue flicked over the digits, sending a jolt of arousal through the stunned Sarah. Her body felt lightly flushed, pressed against his so closely. As if reading her thoughts, Jareth pulled her even closer, his own eyes darkening to match the ever-growing desire in hers.

He began to lean down to return the not-really kiss with his own lips, but was stopped short when she suddenly jerked free of his arms, stumbling dizzily away from him. Her head had, once again, erupted in a nauseating pain. She made it a few steps away before collapsing, her body only missing the floor by a few inches. His arms caught her, of course, lifting her up.

She was not unconscious, a fine sheen of sweat coating her skin where it was visible. Her temperature had spiked suddenly, hitting a dangerous high.

Jareth raced from the room with Sarah in his arms, praying that she'd be okay. Praying that her time wasn't up yet.

Meanwhile, Sarah had been plunged head-first into hell.


	16. Dead To Me

_Hell._

That was all she could feel around her. She was blind, mute, unable to even scream out her agony, as she so wished to do. Something inside of her was being torn away in ragged shards, tearing her apart as it went.

Something was stealing whatever it was that had kept her afloat since she was fifteen.

And she was in far too much agony to remember who it was. She didn't even know who she was. Her name was lost.

She could remember no names, and as she lay there, unable to find whatever muscle memory would allow her to at least writhe from the pain. An invisible pressure pinned her down, and as time passed, more and more of whatever held her together on the inside was sucked away. The agony only increased. At some point, it was joined by a small piercing pain on her face, but by then she'd let herself fade from where she was, concentrating wholly on past memories. Past dreams.

Nothing was clear anymore, but she could fill in the blanks.

There was a man... handsome. When he touched her, she felt life again. She knew he was the key to ending this hell.

If only she could remember his name.

-

An entire night passed, and Sarah had not woken. Jareth stood vigil at her side until one of his medics nearly had to force him into a bed nearby, and as soon as he awoke he returned to her. A larger piece had broken off of her mask, the entire tip of the nose resting on her chest. He cleared it away impatiently, before summoning the head medic to his side.

"Do you know nothing of her condition?" He hissed, unable to hide his impatience.

He needed his Sarah back.

"We have no definite, Majesty, but I might have a theory." At Jareth's impatient grunt, the old elf woman sighed, staring down at the frail young woman on the bed. "I believe something is draining her life and magic away from her, Sire. I've seen few cases of this, as I served the Elf queen before you, and she was not a user of dark forces, but we lived fairly close to the kingdom of shadows, and I recognize this sort of curse. It is the magic of Arcadia, of course, eating away at your beloved."

Jareth hunched over, clutching Sarah's hand.

"How long? Will she wake at all before she is drained completely?"

The medic rested a delicate hand on his shoulder, sighing.

"I would estimate, at the rate she seems to fade from this world, she has three to four days. As for her waking, there is no way to tell that. Curses are tricky magic, they can change on a whim. Perhaps this incident was not even intentional. Perhaps she who caused this thought Sarah would last much longer."

Jareth sighed, staring dejectedly at his Sarah.

"Tell my father that... that if she does not wake before the ball... he may release her from this world."

He stood then, and walked to the door before glancing back at Sarah. He longed to see her face, beneath the mask. He longed to see her eyes.

"I will not have her belong to Arcadia. I will not do that to Sarah, and I will not do that to my kingdom."

With that, the goblin king swept from the room, leaving a sad but understanding medic and his one love behind him.

Titiania found him hours later, curled in his throne. His goblins surrounded and covered him, attempting to provide some form of comfort.

The high queen shooed every last one of them off before settling on the throne beside her son.

"It's a very brave thing you're doing." She said, running a hand through his hair soothingly. "Many men would let their kingdoms die before they'd give up their love."

"She has only three days of life left with or without me." He murmured, leaning into the comforting embrace of his mother. "All I am doing is preventing Arcadia from taking her. She will not have that pleasure."

Titiania smiled slightly, tipping his face so his eyes met hers.

"Yes, my son, but in doing this you are thinking of others. It is an unselfish act. It is brave."

Jareth grit his teeth, staring resolutely past his mother. His eyes glistened, though his face remained closed off and bitter.

"It is not enough, though. It is not enough to save her. I am not enough."

Titiania sighed, cupping her son's face in both of her palms and meeting his eyes.

"You might be, Jareth. You just need to be honest. With yourself, as well as with Sarah. You will find a way."

"How can I be honest with Sarah when she is unconscious? I cannot save her. She may as well be dead already. "

A sharp smack ran through the throne room, and there was a quick scrambling as several eavesdropping goblins booked it from the area, lest they too face the queen's wrath. (Or Jareth's, as he couldn't exactly take it out on his own mother.)

Jareth stared at Titiania in shock, his left cheek now slightly pinker than the other. His mother's eyes held a steely sort of anger, and she rested her balled fists on her hips before beginning her rant.

"You need to shut your mouth, for once, and listen to your mother, Jareth. Sarah, whether you choose to believe so or not, is not dead yet. There is still a chance she may wake up before the ball, and even if that cannot happen, you can still be honest with her- COMPLETELY HONEST- while she is unconscious. For all you know, she can hear you, and I will not have my son, King of the Goblins, sit here whining and moping until there is no hope left. Do what you can, Jareth, before the chance passes."

With that said, Titiania rose and left the room, head held high even as her lower lip began to tremble.

"My prayers and wishes, they go to you my son." She whispered, softly so he would not hear. "And to your love, as well."

-

Jareth arrived back at the infirmary at noon-time. Bliss sat on the edge of the bed, quietly reading Sarah her fortune from an old tarot deck.

"Where did you find that?" Jareth asked curiously, stepping in.

He sensed no danger from the deck, so it was no danger to either of the girls.

"Queen Titiania gave it to me. She said it was in the room of lost things, and that it's owner had long ago forgotten it Underground. She said I may keep it. Is that okay?"

Jareth smiled and nodded, moving to sit beside the small girl.

"And you know how to read them?"

The child smiled up at him as she shuffled the cards, before tucking them into her dress pocket.

"My grandmother taught me, before she died and mama left."

Jareth smiled, nodding his head in understanding. He knew little about the Aboveground, but he knew the oracles of Underground never used cards to predict the future. They usually suffered intense, sometimes even painful visions of what was to come. If this method worked, he would be pleasantly surprised, but he felt he may as well allow it to go on, for the time being.

"Well, Bliss, would you mind too terribly if I had a moment alone with- "

Jareth was, of course, interrupted before he could finish his sentence.

"SIRE! The fairies have come early! They are requesting tiny rooms and nectar!" A stunted goblin cried, falling into the room. His fat nose made a squishing sound as it hit the floor.

Jareth let out an annoyed hiss. "Three entire damned days early. By the Bog I do not know why the little twits can't just arrive on the actual day. They practically live next door to us."

He huffed and stood, angrily stomping from the room. The little goblin managed to peel his face from the floor in time to follow.

 _Knowing the fairy queen, I shall be there all night_. Jareth thought bitterly.

Of course, he was right.

-

Arcadia drowsily glanced at the girl next to her. Fifteen, about. When Arcadia had first attained the girl, she'd been around thirteen, with plenty of plump young flesh to pinch and claw at. Of course, she was now bone thin. They all grew thin over time. The girl had lasted longer than most of Arcadia's slaves, simply from determination and a pension for stealth. Sometimes, Arcadia almost forgot the girl even existed. Her hair was tangled and dirty, covering what might have been a pretty face, but had been unfortunately damaged by many well placed scratches and back hands. Her hands rested on her lap as she stared resolutely at the ground. She wore the same rags as all Arcadia's slaves, meaning she was bare from her scrawny, scraped up knees to the filthy, calloused soles of her feet.

Her nails had been bitten down to the nub, to the point that they'd bled.

Beside the girl sat a frightened looking boy, approximately the same age. He was trembling slightly, wide, dark eyes glancing around the carriage as if looking for an escape. As if there was an escape from Arcadia.

His hair was fairer than the girl's mousy brown, but it was just as matted with filth. He'd only been with her for a few months, and already his spirit was waning. He might have a month of sanity left before he became empty. Three months before he died.

Arcadia glanced at the girl and smiled. She let words flow through the shadows and into both of the children's ears.

"Bring the other child's eye to me, and I shall spare your life on this trip and the one back."

The girl had barely started to move before the boy lunged, raking his chipped, ugly nails down her face in an attempt to reach her eye. She let out an angry noise before rearing back and headbutting him dead in the nose.

Arcadia watched with glee. The girl was stronger than she seemed, and the boy, though desperate enough to win against a weaker creature, did not stand a chance. A few minutes after the fight began, he gave a pained scream and slumped back in the seat, clutching his face, which was covered in blood.

"Oh, don't be wasteful, you little mutt." Arcadia hissed, handing him a chalice.

He held it beneath his face as he bled.

The girl presented Arcadia with his eye a moment later. It was only slightly damaged, which impressed the evil fey.

"Oh, aren't you a good girl?" She cooed, snatching the thing away from the girl. She briefly considered forcing it down the boy's throat, before sighing and holding it out. Immediately, it was encased in writhing, inky black shadows. When they left her hand there was not even a drop of blood.

"Watching them eat has made me hungry too, it seems." Arcadia whispered, staring at the boy. He began to sob silently, shaking in his seat.

With a wave of Arcadia's hand, the carriage stopped. She drug the boy from it and into the dirt, so as not to stain her upholstery with anymore blood. The girl watched her silently as Arcadia leaned down to kiss the boy, sucking what she could of his life through his mouth. Once that was done, she spilled his life blood, catching as much as she could in her cup.

She drank slowly, savoring the life-magic each drop held. Loving the feel of her own powers devouring it and growing stronger. Once that was done, she climbed back into the carriage, and they were mobile once more.

"You know, along with the Sarah girl's magic, that boy has made me feel healthier than I have in ages." Arcadia commented idly to the girl.

She, of course, did not respond.

Arcadia hummed lightly as she summoned a crystal, twirling the smoke filled orb on her finger tip and willing it to show her Sarah.

When it did, Arcadia nearly broke her deal with the child beside her. Sarah was comatose, it appeared, and Arcadia could not have that. It made things far too dull.

She did play a little fair, after all, and having the curse's victim practically dead did not seem fair at all.

Also, if Sarah died, Arcadia would lose all the magic she had absorbed thus far, because her deal with the girl would be broken.

Arcadia could not allow that.

"I must have absorbed too much too fast." The woman hissed, glaring into the crystal.

She sighed, running a finger over her nearly completely smooth neck as she contemplated her options.

Eventually, she let out an annoyed little noise and reached into the shadows, drawing out one that connected her to Sarah. She gently drew power away from the dark tendril until the amount of magic being drawn from Sarah ebbed to a light flow. She also sent a bit- just a bit- of Sarah's magic back to her, to help her wake.

"There then." Arcadia breathed, smiling wickedly as Sarah's eyelids twitched. "Now my plans can continue as they were. She'll be awake by the morrow, with two whole days left to try and fail to make him admit his love."

Arcadia smiled then, relaxing into her seat, and closed her eyes.

"Two more days until I win."


	17. Alone Together

Shortly before the second sharp pain in her face, the girl who forgot her own name felt the hell-fire begin to fade.

It faded slowly, but eventually she was only left with mild nausea and a slight tugging sensation in her abdomen.

She felt certain that it was early, wherever she was, but she could not find the energy to open her eyes. She had to remember who she was first.

There was a gentle hum of magic flowing into her, her own magic returned, though she knew none of that. But that little bit seemed to be the key to her memories. Sarah's eyes snapped open.

At once, a concerned old woman was at her side, frantically scanning her for any further harm, Sarah had already located her book and was writing one word rather quickly.

_'Jareth.'_

-

Jareth had only just gotten the fairies settled- Who would have thought such small creatures could be such a hassle- when the same stunted goblin that alerted him of their arrival came hurtling through the corridors.

Jareth stopped him with his boot, not quite a kick but close enough, and the little creature recited it's newest message from the floor, where it now rested on it's back.

"Lady is awake! Mask lady!"

Jareth hurried off without thanking- or bogging- the little goblin. In fact, he'd already forgotten the little runt's name.

"Sarah!" Jareth shouted, bursting into the infirmary. His eyes were slightly wild with panic, but when they found Sarah resting on her bed, Bliss curled into her side, he calmed.

"Sarah." This time a sigh, his voice carried so much relief and joy that a few of the more emotional medics had to step out of the room.

Sarah looked up at him, her eyes crinkling a bit, though it was no longer as easy to tell she was happy. Her mask looked as though it might give at any moment, so badly cracked it was.

He rushed to her side, hugging her close. Her cold face pressed into his chest, and he was almost concerned that he might make the breakage worse. But she was awake, she was with him once more. His throat closed up, his current level of joy too high for words.

After a bit, she seemed to sag against him, and he released her. She leaned back in the bed, blinking drowsily.

"What of her condition?" Jareth asked, right before a more concerning thought occurred to him. "Has the High King been informed that she has regained consciousness?"

"He has, Majesty." The elderly head medic spoke up, approaching the reunited couple. "He took the news well. Said he'd thought about his offer more and it is better this way, as he believes her death might end the Goblin Kingdom itself. Certainly, the Labyrinth would grow despondent over her. It loves her."

Jareth did not doubt the woman's words one bit. If anyone knew the Labyrinth, other than Jareth, it was it's citizens.

"As for her condition, she is still rather frail, so I am keeping her on bed rest for the next two days. Today, absolute bed-rest. She may only rise to use the toilet, and I or one of my girls shall assist in that. Tomorrow she'll be moved to her rooms, and then she may do some light walking."

Jareth nodded in understanding, glancing at Sarah. For now she seemed fine with the idea of bed-rest, but he was certain that that lucky happening would only last for as long as her exhaustion did.

"Jareth, dear," Titiania called, stepping into the room. "The elves are here."

Jareth sighed, casting one final glance at Sarah.

"Sleep, precious, but be certain you wake up again." He murmured, leaning down to kiss her cracked forehead before he left the room.

She tried to snort through her nose at the very idea, but half through it she faltered and fell asleep.

-

"Hello, Goblin King." Greeted the queen of the elves.

She was tall and regal, her ears more pointed than Jareth's and her eyes like glimmering black jewels. Her hair ran straight to her lower back, not a strand out of place. It was the same shade of blonde as Jareth's own. The elf queen was dressed in shades of ivory and silver, a shining circlet with a single glowing jewel encircling her head. There was a king in her kingdom, but he was gravely wounded in a land dispute with Arcadia some centuries before, and had not been conscious since. The she-witch had always maintained that it was a cursed arrow gone wrong, which had to be the truth as none of their kind could lie, but Jareth was certain that when she said those words, she did not mean them exactly.

The arrow went wrong in that it had been meant to kill the Elf King, and it had not.

"You know you may address me by my name until the ball, the only mortal in the castle already knows me by name, Queen Galadriel."

Galadriel smiled vaguely at Jareth, barely a tilt of the lips, but he knew her well enough to pick up on it.

"Of course, and when can I meet this human I have heard much of? Your champion, that is what the High Queen called her."

Jareth shot his hastily exiting mother a withering glare before answering his newest guest.

"Sarah is currently on bed-rest. Her curse has taken a lot from her, and she needs to rest to recover for the ball, but once she feels a bit better you may meet her. Until then, perhaps you would like to visit with your friend from the fairy kingdom?" He rose his voice a bit then, addressing the few members of her court that Galadriel brought along. Most were servants and advisers who would not be participating in the main part of the Samhain ball.

Galadriel seemed pleased with this idea, her lips twitching with a mirth rare for the less emotional race she was a member of. Elves tended to be very calm creatures, rarely showing anger, sadness, or extreme joy. They were trained at a young age to control themselves, as their magic could be volatile if they did not. Fairies were their exact opposite, the over-emotional little things. It only made sense that the two would be friends.

As Jareth lead Galadriel to the chambers of the fairies, he reflected on a conversation he and Sarah had had a few days before, about elves, fairies, and the larger group they were a part of.

-

_Jareth leaned back in his chair, laughing a bit at the book Sarah used to speak. Sarah had been asking about those who would be attending the ball, and she'd wondered about the differences between races._

_"No, silly thing, elves and fey are not two separate things... Not exactly anyway. Elves are fey, they are simply a different branch."_

_Sarah tilted her head in an adorable display of confusion and Jareth smiled._

_"You see, my mother and father are at the top of the chain. They rule over all fey, and are of no specific race, though they most resemble elves in their human appearance. Elves, fairies, goblins, and anything else you can imagine... those are all lower fey. The lower the fey, the less intelligent. I am ruler of the goblins only because the Labyrinth chose me to be so. Before me goblins had no ruler and were easily three times as destructive."_

_Jareth took a moment to shudder at the memory of the Labyrinth when he'd first arrived. Pure chaos. And chicken shit. Everywhere._

_"Anyhow, every race has a ruler. The more intelligent, even if they are cruel or... barely intelligent enough, may choose their own of their kind. The lowest creatures, like my subjects, are generally given one. The elves have a queen and king, though the king has been in a cursed sleep for several centuries. The fairies have their queen, who has yet to choose any other fairy to rule with her, though she is currently courting a lovely fairy maiden. Most rulers will have a spouse or date with them at the ball, as a dance partner." Jareth gasped a bit then, smirking a bit before continuing. "That reminds me, I'd much appreciate it if you would be my date. I know you already plan to attend, and this will not change much, but it would... flatter me."_

_Sarah rolled her eyes, sort of, and Jareth stifled a laugh._

_"If you want me to say I'll be your date, then fine. I'll be your date, Jareth."_

_Jareth grinned at her, suspecting he resembled a babe on Yule._

_"Thank you, precious thing. Now, do you have any other questions?"_

_"Just one. So, ALL fey have a ruler?"_

_"Well... yes, in a sense. All races have a ruler. But there are solitary fey, without any like them, or small races who simply choose a larger race to coincide with. Some courts are made up of all different races, with one over-all ruler. My parents rule over many different fey, of course, but even within their own court there are many different races."_

_Sarah nodded, seeming content, and scribbled in her book a bit more._

_"If I survive this curse, Jareth, I want to see the most beautiful things you can show me here, visit as many kingdoms as you can take me to. Promise?"_

_Jareth bit his lip, staring down at the book. Such simple words, and yet they cut like blades._

_He had to break that curse. He had to save her._

_"I promise, Sarah." He said. And then again, to himself as well._

_"I promise."_


	18. Young Gods

Jareth waved a gloved hand as they approached the door to the fairies' room, and it opened for them.

Within what seemed like just another room in the castle was an extravagant greenhouse, absolutely flourishing with flowers from both Underground and Above. The fairy queen's servants lazed about, giggling and chatting as they reclined on their chosen blooms. The queen herself was smiling down at a lively young fairy. The queen had golden curls that trailed down her back in playful looking ringlets. Her eyes were honey colored and her skin was lightly tanned from her time spent outdoors. She was clothed in petals from the rarest rose in the underground, a crown of gold encased thorns delicately placed atop her head. Her wings were iridescent little things, glittering slightly as they twitched on her back. Her lover was darker skinned, with straight black hair swept over one shoulder. Her eyes were green, her wings clear.

"Queen Saffron." Greeted Galadriel, and the little queen jumped into the air at once, flitting about excitedly.

"Oh, hello Galadriel, my friend, you haven't met Koki'o, have you?" Saffron trilled, her voice light and airy, just as she was.

Koki'o joined them after a hopeful glance from her queen, bowing politely midair as she examined the larger royalty.

"This is the elves' queen, Galadriel, and of course you've met Jareth already."

Jareth smiled distractedly at the tiny creature, who in turn shrunk back a bit more. She was the shyest fairy he'd ever met. Most would simply bite a stranger if they didn't want them around. Or if they did. Fairies liked to bite.

"Anyhow," continued Saffron, completely ignoring Jareth now, "Galadriel, my friend, how long has it been?"

She flew forwards, landing on the elf's outstretched hand with a smile. Jareth took a moment to note that no other fairy in the room spoke now. They might have given the appearance of relaxed and ditsy, but as soon as their queen landed upon Galadriel's palm, they were all focused on her. Fairies were fiercely loyal to their queen, always watching for her safety.

"It's only been a year, my friend, but it feels as though it has been fifty." Galadriel murmured, growing ever more relaxed in the fairy's presence.

Fairies and elves allied long ago, before Galadriel's husband fell into his sleep, but Saffron and Galadriel were only civil acquaintances then. Fairies seemed so barbaric to the elves, who prized propriety over all else. But when she all but lost her love, Galadriel found the fairies were the most understanding of her plight. They were absolutely vibrant with emotion and wild magic, the excact opposite of her people.

She needed them, and soon became good friends with their queen.

"So, how do you like my room?" Saffron asked abruptly, gesturing about the nature filled room. It was enough to remind those within that they were, in fact, indoors, not in some secret garden, hidden away.

"Ah, it is lovely. Did Jareth do it?"

Jareth scoffed at this arching an eyebrow at the two royals.

"You know I only provide templates, I will not be accused of playing favorites among royalty." He said stiffly, but his lips twitched slightly.

"But you should know, if you ask nicely, the castle may provide a lovely little sun roof."

Saffron laughed, the sound like chimes on a windy day. Even Galadriel smiled a bit, arching a brow at Jareth.

"And what of my room?"

"Ah," The Goblin King grinned, shaking back his hair. "Somehow, you wound up right next door to the fairies. I-" He tilted his head, listening. "Oh, it would appear more guests are here. I will leave you two to catch up."

Jareth had been honest, of course, about having more guests. The trolls had arrived, and needed to be escorted into their rooms, very close to the dungeons.

"Just right." Grunted the king troll, Urg. "When will our friend orcs be here? They will like blood smell."

Jareth fought strongly against wrinkling his noce in disgust. Orcs were only friendly to trolls because of the trolls' barbaric battle strategies. Orcs were much more civilized, although Urg was correct about them enjoying the scent of blood. It was only natural, and it reminded them of battles long passed.

"King Gormok should be joining us quite soon, king Urg. He will be roomed next to you, of course."

Urg nodded, and motioned for his underlings to begin unpacking his belongings. Jareth took the dismissal for what it was and quickly exited to room, making his way back to the court room, where Gormok and the centaur king, Rowan, were already waiting.

Jareth didn't even have time to mutter a 'bog dammit' before he was enveloped in the strongest hug he'd ever experienced.

"Gormok! My friend, you are crushing my rib cage!" Hissed the goblin king, and the orc very politely sat him back onto the floor.

"I do apologize, Jareth-king. I was simply so pleased to see you."

Rowan smiled vaguely at Jareth before sniffing the air.

"There is a human woman here." He said, eyebrows arching with interest.

Centaurs were somewhat depraved when it came to females, especially the weaker human ones. Jareth narrowed his eyes at Rowan, letting out a low warning growl.

"You and any of your servants are to stay away from her, or face the greatest penalty my kingdom has to offer, do you understand me? I hope to maintain a friendly relationship with your kingdom, but any harm to my champion will mean war. Starting with the offender being drowned in the bog of eternal stench." Each word was spoken in a soft hiss, so low that even the orc standing right next to them could not hear, but Rowan caught every word.

"Yes, then, my rooms. Where are they?" Rowan asked stiffly, any pretense of friendliness fading out.

Jareth knew he was only offended, but chances were he would move on from it soon enough. Centaurs had a long memory, but they weren't the types to hold grudges. Rowan would forgive Jareth, as long as Jareth made sure he was allowed plenty of access to the wine cellars.

Jareth saw to it that his two newest guests were escorted to their rooms, and then sent several promiscuous young wenches to serve them wine and- should the ladies choose to do so- pleasure.

Rowan was already looking much happier with his welcome when Jareth exited the room, leaving two eager nymphs to see to the king of centaurs. The orcs seemed content to only drink, and dismissed the girls promptly. Jareth expected nothing less, as most orcs found non-orcish women hideous.

Before heading off to see how Sarah was feeling, Jareth decided to check in on his other guests once more. Galadriel had retired to her room to enjoy an evening wine before bed, but Queen Saffron was far from ready to retire. In fact, the fairies were in full celebration, drinking nectar and singing. They danced freely, and Jareth noted the drunken flush in their queen's cheeks as she pulled Koki'o close.

"I suspect Bliss- whom some of you may have met as Little One- will be visiting tomorrow, so try to be somewhat light on the festivities tonight. We would not want you all hungover." Commented the Goblin King dryly.

Saffron giggled and waved, saying something in extremely slurred pixie-speak. Something about Jareth and a gargoyle that he decided not to bother translating, because he wasn't sure he'd appreciate the meaning. Koki'o smiled cheekily before blowing a raspberry at him, and the king sighed as he left the room, deciding he liked her a lot more when she was sober and shy.

He walked towards Sarah's room, hoping to at least say goodnight to her before he headed to get some much needed rest.

Sarah was still awake, if only just, when a soft knock came at her door, followed by Jareth poking his head in.

Bliss was asleep in Sarah's chair, pulled up next to the bed so that she could be close to Sarah. Jareth waved a hand and the child was gone, magicked away into her own bed. Jareth took her place at Sarah's side, smiling warmly, looking only slightly drained.

"So, precious, how was your day?"

_'My head aches and I feel as though I have not slept in nearly a year. But I am glad you are here. Will you stay the night with me?'_

Jareth audibly choked, feeling his cheeks flush slightly. He was no blushing virgin, of course, but rarely did he find himself propositioned so abruptly, and never so by one he actually cared for, on a deeper basis than looks.

"Sarah, I have already told you I won't ravish you until your curse-" But his mouth was covered by a soft hand at once, her clearly mortified gaze holding his as her free hand scribbled wildly.

_'That is not what I meant! I mean just stay with me! No ravishing needed. Just stay, snuggle or something, sing to me again. Calm your overly tight breeches down, highness.'_

Jareth sputtered a bit more, speechless, and Sarah's eyes crinkled, a twinkle of mirth shining from within.

_'Come on, kingy, get in bed.'_

He did, letting out a little sigh as her arms wound around him, her cool, cracked mask pressing lightly against his neck. He was sweating slightly from running all over the castle, but he knew his scent only improved from perspiring. He likely smelled like peaches to Sarah, who was nuzzling him sleepily.

He began to hum softly, running his fingers through her hair and pressing his lips against her cool forehead. She was soft and pliant against his chest, so when he glanced down and found her still awake, he was a tad surprised.

She seemed to have been waiting for him to notice her wakefulness, for the second his eyes met hers, her fingers jumped into action, tracing light patterns down his sides, slipping under his shirt before slowly tugging it up and off of him, not waiting for a reaction. Truthfully, he had none. He was struck still by her curious fingers, brushing lightly over his neck, his collarbones, down his chest. Then his stomach.

Jareth caught her wrists then, his sharp teeth worrying his lip for a moment before he spoke, slightly breathless.

"Precious, I thought we agreed not to do any ravishing tonight?"

She moved slightly, tugging her book from under her pillow to respond.

_'No ravishing, just touching. Lots and lots of touching. Fingers only, nothing below the belt, you can touch too. Deal, Majesty?'_

Jareth let out a pleased little hum, gently tugging the book from her hands and tucking it back into it's home beneath her pillow. When he turned back to face her he found himself floored once again as she slowly tugged her shirt off, revealing her soft, lightly flushed chest and stomach to him in the dark room. He let loose one harsh breath before his hands were everywhere.

She breathed heavily through her nose, arching slightly as his fingers drug their way slowly up her sides, tracing the underneath of her breasts. He paused to remove his gloves, tugging them off with his teeth so that he might touch her with his bare flesh.

The second his pale fingers brushed her, she arched as though electrocuted.

"Oh, I did not think- My magic-" He started to pull away, frightened of the effect his magic may have on her bare skin, but her hands caught his wrists, pulling him back to her, pressing his naked palms to her chest and shuddering violently, a little pleasure filled hum reaching him from it's home in her throat.

"Oh. Oh." Jareth whispered, one hand remaining on her breast while the other slowly worked it's way behind her, settling on her upper back.

He brushed his finger over the rosy bud on the tip of her breast, and lightly scratched her back at the same time, and Sarah jerked in his arms, moaning deep within her throat. Her hands were on him again, digging into his shoulders and pulling him close, the eyes of her mask shut tightly against the onslaught of feeling his magic apparently gave her.

Eventually the touching toned itself down, less experimental and passionate and more gentle caressing. Sarah was nestled close to Jareth again, her hands on his back and his on hers. They fell asleep like that, neither mentioning the new crack that formed in Sarah's mask in the midst of their passionate non-ravishing.

-

Arcadia, though, she did not sleep peacefully that night. She watched their touching, their love flourishing, and she hissed furiously, paying no mind to the cowering girl at her side.

"He dares touch her? He dares? I will make him watch when I suck her life out, and then he will watch as I tear his precious kingdom to the ground at his feet, and then he will continue to watch because I will not grant him the pleasure of death."

She screamed her fury for hours, voicing her entire plan of destruction, and she did not even notice her meek little servant slowly relaxing, slowly smiling, as the once-mortal began to memorize, began to plot, and began to hope.


	19. Milk and Cookies

Clara did not lose her name when Arcadia took her.

She lost her home, her humanity, and her hope, but she did not lose her name.

It hadn't been part of the deal.

-

Clara thought, on nights when she had the strength to think, that maybe that was what made her different from the rest of them.

She'd made her deal at thirteen, on her way to the hospital. She was going to visit her baby brother, who had been born two days ago.

He was very sick, and very early, and Clara knew by the look in her father's eyes that things were looking grim for little Charlie.

She wished and wished for him to live. For things to get better.

They didn't. Charlie flat-lined as soon as they reached the hospital.

Clara's father ran, left her alone.

The young girl clasped her hands together, tears blurring her view of the pristine waiting room floors.

"Please, please let him be okay. Please save my brother."

She glanced out the window, the tears beginning to fall, and her eye landed on a star.

"I... I wish-"

"You wish?" Whispered a voice from behind her, and Clara nearly shrieked.

She turned, and there sat the most hideous, beautiful woman she had ever seen.

She was ghost-white, with silky black hair and even silkier black eyes. Her nose was pointed, her teeth as sharp as her cheek-bones. She was skeleton-thin, bones poking through the skin wherever it was visible. Tiny, barely visible cracks ran up and down her arms.

"I am Cady, child, and I have come to grant you your wish. All I ask in return is for you to be mine."

It was an easy decision. Clara loved her little brother.

Clara soon decided that no one loved anyone enough to suffer Arcadia's tortures. Cady never bothered to hide her cruelty from Clara or any of the nameless, in fact, she reveled in their fear of her.

But Clara did notice that she was careful. She rarely killed the ones with a lot of life left in them.

Clara also noticed that, as time passed, many of the children became empty and died, and only a few came to try and fill the void. Arcadia was not as convincing as she must have been, once. Perhaps children were just too afraid of her to say yes now.

Clara was not afraid to say yes to Arcadia. She was afraid to say anything at all.

Her first week Underground taught Clara a lot.

She watched her new queen constantly, and did as she was told instantly. The day they'd arrived, she'd seen a ten year old boy with fever-bright eyes whipped until he could no longer move, for no explainable reason.

That boy died three days later, after he was allowed to wallow in his pain.

Clara knew not to anger Arcadia, but it turned out just being visible was enough to make her a target.

The first time Arcadia hurt Clara and the last time Clara cried happened on her third day.

Cady caught Clara by her hair that morning, dragged her down for no conceivable reason, and tore her cheek with her claw-like fingernails.

Clara yelled, and then tried her hardest to be silent when that only angered the crazed fey. Arcadia beat her for ten minutes before losing interest. Clara lay in bed for three days before she was well enough to move. The scar on her cheek never completely went away.

Time went on, and Clara learned to avoid being visible. She hid when Arcadia was near, unless she was called on specifically.

She did occasionally end up injured anyway. Scratches, lashings, pinches and bites. All were to be expected when living with Arcadia. Clara felt lucky to be still breathing after her first year. Many others voiced the same thoughts on her survival thus far. Still others stated their remorse for her.

She watched children deliberately make deadly mistakes, knowing the punishment would be death. She watched Arcadia's pleasure in delivering this punishment.

She didn't start feeling the drain until halfway through her second year.

By then, Arcadia was not as quick to kill. Clara took a while, but when she finally pieced it together, it made a lot of sense.

Arcadia needed the children to live.

Her deals brought her lives, which she slowly absorbed into herself. She was weak though, as only the weak made such feeble deals with such a dark thing. Her cracks spread, and less people were willing to deal. Her supply of lives dwindled ever more. She weakened. The cracks spread.

Clara wondered what would happen when they covered her.

The young girl knew she wouldn't be around for that part. She wasn't very strong anymore, not like she was at first. Her mind was always foggy, her reflexes not as quick as they once were. She couldn't always hide as fast.

Once, after some boy dropped a dish and spilled wine on Arcadia's lap, she stormed the castle in a rage. The boy had died fast, but no one else got that courtesy. Clara was caught in the kitchens, and the flesh on her back and shoulders was flayed by the dark tendrils that usually stayed close to Arcadia.

She very nearly died.

The next time Arcadia saw her, she seemed a bit surprised. Clara kept her head down and did her duties, as usual, before hiding herself away.

Then Arcadia went Above again, to search out a new deal. She was gone for a week in the Underground, and things were nice without her. They could eat a bit more, relax.

When she came back, Clara was standing in the sitting room. Arcadia hugged her and spun, laughing gleefully.

"I've done it, little creature, I've done it. I got her! She'll be mine in thirteen short days!"

Clara stared, wide eyed, as the woman laughed maniacally. She leaned down, kissing Clara's dirty cheeks.

"Tell the kitchen mutts to prepare a feast, won't you? And since you are such a good girl, I'll let you eat with me. Go now."

Clara ran to the kitchens, so fast her feet would blister from the rough treatment. She instructed them sharply, in a leader's voice. They were in action as soon as they knew of Arcadia's return.

Cady was no less joyous when Clara returned. In fact, she was singing.

"Things will get better now, child, you wait and see." She trilled, her white skin slightly flushed.

Her cheeks did not turn pink, her blood was not the right color for that. It was silver. It was not a human color.

They ate that night, and the next day Arcadia was joyous again. Clara saw why. Some of her cracks had gone.

Over the course of the next eleven days, Arcadia was happier than Clara had ever seen her. She had her off days, days where the girl called Sarah did something to make progress on her curse, and those days were a terror, but for the most part, she was tame.

When Clara was caught again, told she would be joining Arcadia on her journey, she felt fear again.

Arcadia always took two on the journey. She almost always returned alone.

Clara had lasted far too long to die on some long forgotten road, on route to or from the Goblin Kingdom.

The boy in the car, nameless and already too weak, was watching her with wide, dark eyes. He was blonde and pretty, the kind of boy that might have made Clara blush, once upon a time. But he looked sickly now, pale and emaciated, dark circles settling under his eyes, shadows hiding in the dips of his cheekbones.

Clara knew she looked bad too. Her mousy brown hair was stringy and tangled, hanging in front of her face in dirty knots. Her legs were thin like sticks, her knees scratched up knobs. She'd bitten her nails down to the quick, to the point that dried blood mixed in with the dirt on her hands. Her feet were calloused and filthy, her ragged clothes torn.

She had scars on her flesh, pain in her eyes.

But she had life in them too, and the boy did not. The boy was already dead.

Clara almost did not hear Arcadia's quiet words, so caught up in her thoughts was she. Before she could process them, the boy was on her, raking his chipped, jagged fingernails down her face in an attempt to get at her eyes.

Her eyes. Arcadia wanted an eye.

She reacted, unthinking, to the challenge. She struck out, head-butting him in the nose. There was an angry noise working it's way free of her throat, and she knew she could not lose to this living dead boy. He would not value the gift Arcadia had promised.

Clara would.

She hit him in the face and stomach several times, ignoring his panicked, grabby hands. They tore at her hair and she grabbed his in return, using it to slam him into his seat. She let out a screech, climbing onto him and shoving her hand into his face while one remained in his hair, pinning him. He clawed at her face again, letting out a long, desperate noise.

He bit her, once, before she found his eye.

She dug it out, feeling the disgusting stretch and tear of whatever it was that held the nasty little orb in place. His hands slowed on her face, his pained howling barely noticeable to her. She sat back, holding the eye out to Arcadia.

The fey snatched it away, barely glancing at the girl. Clara did not look at the boy again. Even when Arcadia ended him, she only focused on the fey. She could not look at him. It would make him real. He couldn't exist anymore, or Clara would realize that he was just a kid, like she should be. That he probably traded himself for something important, like Clara had.

Or worse. Clara might start comparing parts of him to the baby brother she traded her own life for.

So, she did not look. She settled into her seat, wiping her blood covered hand on her lap and pretending she did not just let someone else die, just so she could live a little longer. She sat back, and she pretended she hadn't just done something unforgivable.

Then Arcadia saw the Goblin King touching the Sarah girl.

She was furious, screeching her anger into the air while Clara trembled beside her.

Then, then she started ranting to herself. Ranting about her plan, what she had to do. She ignored Clara, discussing how she would destroy the kingdom, how Sarah would never get him to admit his love, how she would win.

Clara heard something very important in that speech, something she knew Sarah couldn't tell the king about.

But no rules would be broken if Clara told.

Clara smiled to herself. In the distance, the goblin kingdom slowly came into view.


	20. Training Wheels

Arcadia was nothing before.

Well, technically she was something, but legally she was nothing. A servant, born to serve. She could leave at any time, of course. The High Court thought slaves beneath them. But her mother had been lower class, living and dying in poverty. If she left she would be a commoner, a poor peasant, destined to live and die that same way.

Servitude was better than that, at least. Arcadia had always believed so.

She was a pretty thing, so pretty that the brothels had shown interest long before she was even old enough to process what they did. Of course, they didn't attempt to gain her favor then, as she was young, and the king would not tolerate such depravity.

When she was older though, still a teenager in the eyes of her kind, they propositioned her. She responded with a level of disgust uncommon for those of her position. (That is not to say they accepted, but the money was good and they were treated kindly by the owners, so most at least considered it.)

She was not even important enough to work in the palace, at the time. She worked for some cruel lord, a twisted man who often beat his servants mercilessly. Eventually he would be put to death for killing one of his maids, and Arcadia would be picked up by the castle.

Her first days at the castle were dull. She did the same chores she would have done for the lord, minus the occasional beatings. She hardly got on with the other maids, who had worked in the castle far longer than her. They whispered that she had only been hired because of her pretty face, and that that was all there was to her.

Many of them were very pretty, but it was the same dull beauty that every faerie girl had.

Arcadia was borne of an elf and a higher fey. That in itself was not wholly unusual. Mixed breeds happened. Those sired by lesser fey were lesser. Those sired by commoners were commoners. They were accepted into society by most, and treated as normally as any other fey.

Arcadia was not like other mixed breeds.

Her mother had been an elf servant to a fey lord, and had been released from her position when she became pregnant with his child. The lord himself was married, and his wife demanded Arcadia's mother be fired and forced into the streets. She survived the birth, barely, and raised her odd little thing, so pretty and different, up on the streets. When her mother died of some illness or another, Arcadia took up any work available.

But her oddity lied in her looks. Most half-breeds favor either one race or another, but Arcadia seemed the perfect blend. Her eyes were black as coal, like an elf's, but they held the glittering markings of the faeries, hers showing up smoky and sheer. Her skin was pale, her ears high points. Her cheekbones were sharp, even when she was young and healthy.

Her hair was like black silk, and her fingers had an extra joint.

She was an oddity. It only made sense that she caught the eye of the young prince Jareth.

He caught her eye too.

But then, he caught most girls' eyes, that Jareth. And quite a few boys'. He was the perfect specimen of fey royalty, with his wild blonde hair and piercing, mismatched eyes.

Then there was the wild magic he'd gained over the years, so different from the controlled magic of his mother and father. He was destined for great things, it was clear to all who looked upon him.

But at the time, he was young and stupid. He liked to toy with the hearts that pined for him. He never allowed things to become serious, because he was not searching for a bride or groom. He searched only for the occasional bed-mate, like many other noble youth before him.

Arcadia had been young and stupid in a different way. She saw Jareth's ways, saw him explain again and again that he would not stay. Saw those who thought like her suffer when he left.

She thought she could change his ways, make him fall for her. She thought that she could make him grow up faster.

She could not, of course, because things do not work like that even in the Underground.

She used her beauty to try and ensnare him. And to be fair, it worked for a bit. He was enraptured by her loveliness. They lay together often. So often that she started to forget her servant status, growing comfortable in his arms and in his bed.

People talked, of course, because that is what people do. She was his longest fling, but in the end that was all it was to him.

She misunderstood his intentions. He'd never lied to any of the people he bedded, he let them know he was not a romantic.

When he moved on to someone new, finally tiring of Arcadia's unique beauty, she was heartbroken. She lay in bed for three days before the threat of dismissal forced her up. She did try to move on, but every time she saw him her heart tore again.

Arcadia had never been like any other woman. Arcadia had always had a tiny twist of something dark in her, or else she would not have done as she did. None of Jareth's other flings ever did such terrible things.

Arcadia fled the castle one night, shortly after Jareth left to explore the world outside his parents' kingdom. Both were still so young, children nearly, and yet both were grown.

She moved to the elves' kingdom, sleeping in the streets for days, but eventually she moved on from even there. She moved out into the wild lands, past all safety.

She was in the most twisted, evil part of the lands, where nothing grew and nothing lived, when she came across a shock.

A small grove of dead trees, surrounding a crystal clear lake.

She stepped through the trees, shaking slightly and yelping when the branches caught her dress.

When she reached the water, she knelt down, staring at her reflection. She was dirty and worn, her skin tight around her face. She'd lost weight, so her beauty was less, though her cheek-bones were sharper, more pronounced in her sunken cheeks.

She was parched from her long walk, so she broke her reflection with cupped palms and drank, and drank.

And then there was pain. Agony, truly. She should have known that even the clearest lake would be deadly if found within the wastes.

She lay on the ground for what could have been hours, writhing, clawing her throat and chest and making the most pitiful noises, like an injured animal.

It hurt far too much for screaming.

And then, there were shadows. Tendrils, caressing her, hissing slightly. They paused at the deep lines she'd clawed into her chest, lapping up the blood that welled there. They wrapped around her, and the pain dulled so that she might hear them when they spoke to her.

"Arcadia." A sharp hissing voice spoke from around and within her, caressing her senses in such a way that her flesh crawled delightfully. "You are dying, now. We come with an offering. A gift."

Arcadia sobbed freely, though she no longer jerked in the dirt,

"We will save you. If you deny us you will feel the brunt of your pain for days, possibly weeks, before it kills you. If you accept our offer, you will live as long as you serve us."

There was a pause in the voice, as though it was allowing Arcadia to process what she was told, before it continued in that same hissing whisper.

"What we want, lovely thing, is a host. We need you to rule us, be our queen. Raise a kingdom here, where this lake stands, and feed us life-magic and life-blood. You must kill for us, sweet thing, to bind the deal. Kill one of the prince's whores, like you always wishes to do in secret. Bring her here and kill her, and you will rule these lands. Do you accept our offer?"

Arcadia had wished death on those girls, but she could never kill. She shook her head violently, and the shadows seemed to sigh in disappointment.

The full brunt of her pain returned as they began to retract, and Arcadia broke. Something in her shattered, never to be whole again.

"I'll do it!" She screamed, tears cutting lines in the dirt on her cheeks. "Just end this! I will do as you ask!"

There was a soft laughter all around her, and then the tendrils were everywhere. They tangled themselves in her legs, wrapped her chest in their dark vines, and slipped around her neck, up her jaw.

"Open." They hissed when they brushed her lips, and she did.

It hurt, at first. Not in the same way the lake water hurt, but there was a pain all the same. It was cold and cutting, like a dagger in her lungs and chest. Her blood chilled, changed to suit the dark things within her. They were twisting, corrupting. They stopped before they reached her brain, but she knew the rest of her was changed for good.

"Now we must fetch ourselves one of His whores." They whispered, and Arcadia shuddered as she sat up, noting the filth clinging to her body.

She was going to have to kill someone in order to live.

Arcadia may have held a spark of something twisted within her before, but she could never have become the thing she was without something tragic happening.

The girl was named something stupid. Gissete? Jezel? Something with a J sound, Arcadia thought. She'd been pretty enough, definitely one of the dimmer girls in the kingdom.

She was the one Jareth left Arcadia for.

She'd fallen quite easily for the line Arcadia fed her about an injured child in the wastes. They journeyed there together, alone, and Arcadia was quite thankful that the foolish young fey had been visiting the elves when Arcadia had gone looking for her. She might have had time to grab a guard or ten if Arcadia had had to travel all the way back to the High Court's kingdom.

When they reached the grove, the girl seemed surprised.

"I thought all was dead here." She mumbled, and Arcadia nodded in agreement, pretending to be just as confused.

"I thought so too, but it turns out we were wrong. Come, you must be thirsty, we have time to break for a sip of the water." At the girl's concerned expression Arcadia continued. "I tasted the water when I last was here, it is safe."

Arcadia led the girl to the lake and watched as she sipped it's evil liquid.

When the poor, daft thing fell down screaming, Arcadia cut her throat.

She convinced herself that it was out of mercy, not desperation, and she looked away when the shadows- her shadows- sprung out and began absorbing the blood. When they brushed her lips moments later, they parted automatically.

She nearly gagged at the taste of the dead girl's blood in her mouth, but then something happened. Something changed.

She changed.

She felt the shadows altering her, physically and not. Inky fog wrapped around her brain, warping all it touched to the point of no return, and then passing that point completely. Arcadia dropped to her knees in the dirt, staring into the lake waters as the shadows twisted her. Changed her.

Her reflection was different now. Her hair was longer, her eyes somehow blacker. What color there had been in her skin was gone, giving her the pallor of death. She seemed to grow thinner as she watched. But at the same time, she seemed to gain a regal look to her features. She looked like a queen.

And as the fog faded from her mind, she felt like one. And she knew the right magic to make her kingdom grow. She knew the right magic to spread fear and gain servants. She would rule the lands she stood on, and Jareth would wish he had loved her.

Arcadia leaned back on the ground, staring at her new kingdom, and then she threw back her head and laughed, and laughed, and laughed.


	21. Born to Die

Sarah woke up in the morning alone, but the sheets still held his warmth, so she knew Jareth had not gone far. The old crone that ran the infirmary stood at her side, one arm already extended to help Sarah to the bathroom.

"The king had to go greet a large batch of incoming royals and make sure they don't kill each other."

Sarah nodded, letting the old lady lead her into the bathroom before she pulled away. The medic seemed to sigh in frustration, but she stepped from the bathroom just enough for Sarah to shut the door.

As soon as she was alone, Sarah went to the mirror and peered at her reflection.

The mask looked awful, like a badly put together jigsaw puzzle. Pieces were missing here and there, the nose's tip was gone, and spiderweb fractures ran throughout it's entirety. Sarah got the feeling that Arcadia would be looking a lot healthier when they met at the ball.

And they would be meeting. It was the twelfth day. Tomorrow was the ball. Sarah was nearly out of time, and he hadn't said he loved her. He'd shown it, but he had not said the words she needed to hear. She was going to fail.

There was a soft knock on the door, and Sarah sighed through her nose before turning away from the mirror to run herself a bath. She made sure to make plenty of noise to prevent any unwanted interruptions from the woman caring for her.

-

Jareth sighed, glaring at the Satyr king as he rambled on about what wines he liked and disliked. The ogre queen and king sat nearby, waiting their turn to petition Jareth with specific foods they wanted in their rooms. In fact, many of the royals had finally arrived. Auberon was helping where he could, but Jareth was host, and so he could only accept so much assistance.

Jareth nodded without truly listening as the satyr droned on about cheeses now.

Sarah would be waking up around that time, and she was sure to notice his absence. He'd left his head medic to care for her, but he worried all the same. He did not wish to be gone long, in case of another emergency.

But the satyr did not consider Jareth's wants. The satyr just wanted to make sure none of the cheese in his room came from goats.

"I don't see you eating cheese made from your mother's milk, it's only right that I shouldn't have to."

Jareth sighed, noting that his mother was decidedly absent today, and settled into his throne, resigned to the fact that he would not be escaping the throne room before lunch, at least.

Titiania did not carry the responsibilities Jareth did, at the moment. For the high queen, the Samhain ball was nearly a vacation.

She took advantage of this by skipping out on the annual whine fest in the throne room and visiting her son's future queen.

She entered the room without knocking, smiling sweetly at the head medic, who was standing guard beside the closed bathroom door, listening to Sarah go about her morning business.

"You are excused, I will see to her."

The old woman nodded curtly, exiting the room with a speed unexpected for her age.

A moment later, Sarah emerged.

Sarah stopped short when she saw the high queen seated beside her bed.

Titiania seemed perfectly comfortable, clothed in silver and gesturing regally for Sarah to lie back down. The human sighed, obeying grouchily. Her book was in her bed anyway, and she would need it if they were to communicate.

"So, Sarah, I thought we would talk about she who cursed you."

Sarah balked at Titiania, her mask buffering the expression almost completely.

"Yes, I know how unusual this is, but surely you have some questions?"

Sarah sighed, pulling her book out, and began to write.

_'I do. Jareth mentioned she loved him?'_

The high queen sighed then, rolling her eyes.

"She was infatuated with him, and then dark magic twisted that infatuation into something disgusting and wrong. She feels nothing for him, really, but she thinks she does. She will think she does until her last breath."

Sarah blinked, eyes narrowing as she processed the new information.

 

_What do you mean by dark magic? Those shadows she uses?'_

Titiania nodded, a slight sadness settling over her features.

"Long ago there was very little, just a light and a darkness. These two fractured, darkness going down one path and light going down the other. Fey and humans alike are touched by both their whole lives, but many choose one direction more than the other. Arcadia was a foolish young thing, and she wandered into a dangerous, dark land. A land outside fey rule, here in the Underground. Something happened there, and she killed one of Jareth's old lovers to help it happen. After that, she was changed. A madness overtook her, and her kingdom rose quickly."

Titiania paused for a moment, waving a hand so that a small tray of tea and sweets appeared beside her. She served herself, gesturing for Sarah to do the same.

"She caught herself many servants, both fey and mortal, but they eventually died to feed the darkness she let take her. If she ever runs out of servants to kill, which she nearly has done, she will die. If she, say, was forced to return a large enough amount of magic to a specific being, she would likely die or be weak enough to kill. Does that clear things up for you, Sarah?"

Sarah nodded slowly, watching Titiania carefully, but then she thought of another question.

_'You know what I have to do, don't you?'_

Titiania smirked, eyes glittering with mirth and mischief.

"I know much, my dear. I know something else that might interest you, as well, in regards to the task you've been given."

The high queen glanced about quickly before leaning in and whispering conspiratorially.

"There is no rule preventing you from saying you love him." At Sarah's stunned look, the queen continued.

"And if you were wondering, Sarah, I have kept my eye on you ever since you left the Underground the first time. It is uncommon for mortals to retain their memories of our home."

She then stood and exited the room, leaving a shocked Sarah to digest all that she'd learned.


	22. Carousel

Jareth stared out over the crowd, which had thinned drastically as the day drew on. It was nearly noon now, and most were hungry enough to forget about their whining.

In fact, it was only Jareth and the selkies now. They were requesting cooler waters to swim in, a fairly easy task. They were polite, as selkies tended to be. Jareth escorted the shy females back to their pool and cooled the water with a wave of his hand. He left before they could shift back into their seal forms, thinking it impolite to overstay his welcome.

He sighed, rolling his neck to crack it and maybe ease some of the tension there. The day had been so busy already, and he truly needed a break.

Bliss was already in Sarah's room when he arrived, and for once she did not seem in a hurry to leave. Rather, she seemed entirely unwilling to leave Sarah's side for some reason, though she did eventually, rather reluctantly. On her way out the door she shot Jareth a sad, pleading look that he could not decipher.

Everyone seemed to want him to do something, and he was terribly confused. He felt nearly daft.

Sarah motioned for him to sit at her side, and he easily slipped into the empty place on her bed, one arm wrapping gently around her. They sat like that a while, gentle conversation passing between them. She seemed just as distracted as he had felt all day, and it was not long before he found the reason.

_'Jareth, I need to tell you something, and I need you to shut up and listen for once in your life, can you do that?'_

Resisting the natural urge to reply with something saucy, Jareth nodded. He felt himself tense up, fearful of what Sarah might have to say that would cause her to interrupt such a pleasant conversation.

_'I have grown up so much since my first trip here. Then, I was a little girl, practically. I was completely naive, innocent, and silly. I knew you couldn't love me then, because I had yet to grasp the concept of love, truly. But I believe, deeply, that you had some idea, some deep set emotion, that slowly built.'_

She paused, glancing up at Jareth, who had been reading along silently, steadily growing more and more tense.

_'Now, I'm not stupid, Jareth. I noticed the crystals, and the feathers, and the occasional odd shadow or reflection. I know you've watched me, ever since I beat the Labyrinth. You aren't as sneaky as, say, your mother. I knew ever since you slept outside my bedroom, the night I won. And owl is a little obvious, don't you think so?'_

Jareth chuckled in embarrassment, shrugging his shoulders and whispering in Sarah's ear.

"It is my animal form, I cannot help it if it is obvious."

_'And I would want you to tell me more about what the fuck that means, but for now we're gonna finish this serious moment. Okay, so I noticed. And I noticed that, as time wore on, you seemed to grow more attached. I saw you watching me, and I noticed how whenever something went wrong and I felt put down, the next few days would be oddly nice. I noticed the little things, Jareth. And I started to feel what I believe you were already feeling fairly deeply at that point. I was older, and wiser, and I could understand things I didn't before.'_

Another pause, Sarah's breath wheezed slightly and Jareth rubbed her back while she tried to catch it. When she continued, Jareth was almost tempted to run away. Almost.

_'So, Jareth, you made me an offer once. You said all I had to do was fear you, love you, do as you say, and you would be my slave. Well, I have feared you, I'll never do as you say, and I don't want a slave. That leaves one thing I can still do, Jareth.'_

"Sarah." Jareth whispered, shaking slightly.

He'd never expected this. Not from her. Not from the one he actually loved back.

_'I love you, Jareth. King of the Goblins.'_

His breath left him and he took a moment to catch it. His mother's laughter reached the two from down the hall, followed by that of the elf queen. Likely it was drawing near to dinner time.

This would be his last chance to see her before the ball.

"I... Me too, precious thing."

And before he could continue, tell her he loved her until his lips ached, his mother entered the room and called to him.

"We must go, Jareth, before your guests kill each other."

He kissed Sarah on the space where her lips should have been, and then the king left. Once the door shut, Sarah lay down and did something she did not oft do.

She cried.

Because now she knew he loved her too, but it still was not enough to save her.

"Say your right words" the goblins said.

'Me too' wasn't enough. He had to say 'I love you'.


	23. Don't Save Me

The day of the ball was a confusing whirlwind of activities, even for the weakened Sarah Williams. Jareth's mother had shown up bright and early, clearing out the disapproving medics, and told Sarah to hurry up and get up, as they had a lot to do.

Sarah was completely confused, of course, as she had intended to stay in bed until the ball, possibly moping. Moping was always nice.

Titiania had other plans.

And so, Sarah was dragged throughout the castle, past all sorts of fey she'd never met before. When they darted passed a centaur with long, black hair and supple, dark skin, he whinnied at her. Whinnied. Titiania shot him a look as she continued dragging Sarah, who could no longer feel her wrist.

Finally, they stopped. They stood beside a crystal screened door. Titiania waved her hand and it opened, revealing an extravagant, all white suite.

"These rooms belong to my husband and I, though he won't be joining us for quite a while. Have a seat."

Sarah nervously sat down in the nearest chair, fidgeting with her hair and skirt.

"Alright, Sarah-dear, first thing's first. You told him you loved him, yes?"

Sarah would've blushed if she could. She nodded, fidgeting harder, and Titiania laughed softly as she caught Sarah's hands, stilling them.

"Sarah, that is good. Even if he didn't say what he must, he is easily twice as likely to give you your right words now. I know time is short, and you are afraid, but you mustn't lose hope, not until the last chime of the clock tonight."

Sarah could not help but relax at these words, spoken so kindly, yet with such conviction. She noted that the queen nearly always sounded certain about what she said, no matter what it was.

She nodded, slow, and Titiania smiled, pulling her to her feet.

"Now, you're hair first, I think. Then those nails. I think silver and clear tones should work well with whatever dress you have in mind. Sit over at the mirror while I grab my combs."

She sat a confused and alarmed Sarah in front of a familiar looking vanity, but before the girl could fumble for her book, the high queen was tearing the tangles from her hair, and Sarah was properly distracted.

-

Auberon entered the rooms around lunch, to Sarah's dismay.

He wouldn't stop laughing at her pain. She was certain it wasn't nearly that funny, and he was deliberately exaggerating, but still. He was laughing.

The queen eventually untangled Sarah's hair, leaving her sore, but feeling a lot better for it. She'd begun styling it immediately after, and she was anything but gentle.

Sarah made muffled sounds of protest frequently, but Titiania continued, and after poking fun a bit, Auberon took a seat and began to explain the plans for the night's ball, including what they would be eating, and musical selections.

Sarah was quite pleased to learn that Jareth was including the song from her peach-dream.

She was less pleased when Titiania finished her hair and started on her nails, but the idea of dancing to her song brightened her day enough that she only groaned in protest a little bit.

-

"Sire, your... final guest approaches." A young fey maid whispered, and Jareth could tell from her sudden shakiness that the girl was frightened.

That was a very dangerous state to be in when Arcadia was around. She was oft called the Queen of Shadows, but many also knew her to be the queen of fear, though she held no official claim to it.

"Go and... tend to the nymphs, won't you? I believe they are hiding from the satyrs, likely around the groves."

She nodded curtly and raced off, nearly tripping in her hurry. Jareth glanced at the elf queen, who had been speaking to him about renewing some of their alliances, in preparation for another potential war against the dead lands that Arcadia ruled.

"You should return to your rooms for now and collect yourself. I can see that our conversation has brought up some painful memories, and I know you wouldn't wish to show any weakness to that hag."

Galadriel sighed and nodded, smoothing her dress and schooling her face o show no emotion.

"Good day then, King Jareth. We shall continue are talks later, after the ball perhaps."

She left, and Jareth buried his head in his hands for a moment, while he was alone, and whispered a prayer to no one that he might have enough self control to get through whatever happened next.

He lifted his head when one of his goblins officially announced Arcadia's entrance, putting on a stern expression right before she sauntered into the room, a shivering little mortal girl stumbling along behind her.

"Arcadia. Your rooms are in the East wing, follow me."

He rose stiffly and started walking, not waiting for them to follow.

"Aww, Jareth, not even a kiss hello?" Arcadia cooed, easily keeping pace with the simmering king. Her servant, on the other hand, had broken into a slight jog.

Jareth stopped in front of the door to Arcadia's rooms.

"You may alter the rooms how you see fit. You are not to harm any of my citizens, or the other royalty. No servants shall die by your hand while you reside here, and if you wish to have someone else' servant punished, speak to them and they will take care of it. Lastly, you are not to see or speak to Sarah Williams without me present. To break any of these rules is to declare war on the Goblin Kingdom, as well as it's allies, am I clear?"

Arcadia smiled at him, but it was stiff and angry.

"Crystal, King Jareth. Girl! Come!"

And she turned, entering her room. The mortal girl quickly followed, and the door slammed in Jareth's face before she was all the way through, catching her on the rear.

Jareth sighed and turned to leave. He would check on Sarah before he went back to his duties, to notify her of that dark bitch's arrival.

He panicked immediately when he found her gone.

-

"SARAH?"

Sarah jumped slightly, nearly jarring the queen's steady hand.

"He noticed. Auberon, go stay your son's temper. I assume he'll be headed for Arcadia's rooms to accuse her of treachery, so try to head him off."

Auberon quickly left, grumbling all the way. He and Sarah had just gotten to know each other, and were discussing the proper ways to deal with a will-O-the-wisp infestation. Sarah's eyes widened a bit at the queen's words, the realization that Arcadia was finally there sinking in quickly, but she had no time to panic.

"Alright, Sarah, you are finished. Have a look."

-

"Jareth, son, she's with Titiania."

Jareth stopped, one hand already on the handle to Arcadia's room.

"I was ready to declare war, father." He growled, teeth clenched.

Auberon laughed, ignoring the obvious stress on his son's face.

"Settle down, my son, you must get yourself ready for the ball."

Jareth nodded, but before he could make it far, the door to Arcadia's room opened, and the mortal girl Jareth had seen earlier walked out.

"Hello, Majesties. May I speak to you, King Jareth? My queen wishes you to take me to the servant's baths. She says I smell like the wrong end of a goblin."

Auberon snorted a bit, nodding a goodbye to Jareth, and then he left. Jareth lead the girl silently, his hand loosely gripping her arm, and when they reached the baths he turned to leave, but she caught him by the arm.

"Be sure to dance with Bliss tonight."

And then she slipped into the bathroom.

-

Clara exited the bathroom, glancing around. A small girl stood a few feet away, thumbing through a tarot deck.

"Are you Bliss?" Clara asked, approaching slowly.

The girl looked up, nodding slowly.

"Yes, I am, and you are one of hers."

Clara nodded back, biting her lip.

"I can't tell the king this, because she's watching him, but she doesn't care about you anymore. You must let King Jareth know, Bliss. You can tell him how to break the curse, it won't be breaking a rule."

Bliss shook her head, confused.

"I don't even know how."

"He has to say 'I love you'. Those are the right words, and he has to say them before the clock strikes thirteen. Find a way to tell him, without Her seeing."

Bliss shook her head again.

"But why are you telling me all this?"

Clara smiled.

"Because I want her to lose too."

-

Sarah peered at herself in the mirror, astonished at the transformation. Her hair was magnificent, pulled up slightly before being allowed to waterfall down her back in graceful curls. Titiania had decorated it with small clear crystals and silver branches. Though not as large, it reminded her greatly of her hairstyle from her last ball with Jareth. Her nails had been carefully filed and painted silver, and Titiania dusted the cheeks of her mask with silver glitter.

"I thought it might add some character, though it'd be much more lovely if we could see your face." Titiania murmured, then she leaned in close. "Good luck, Sarah."

Auberon re-entered the room, rubbing his temples.

"The boy has been calmed, and has gone to dress himself for the ball. Sarah should do the same."

Titiania nodded, gesturing for Sarah to rise.

"Remember, dear, things are not always what they seem down here."

Then she gently kissed Sarah's forehead, and sent her on her way.

-

Sarah sat on her bed for a moment, taking deep breaths to calm herself. It was time.

She had until thirteen o'clock. Six hours to finish this. She knew he loved her, now she just had to make him say it.

Sarah stood and retrieved her crystal from it's hiding place. She closed her eyes, took one more deep breath, and threw it down on the floor. The crystal shattered, sending up a swirl of glitter, and Sarah closed her eyes, picturing clearly the dress she wanted.

She felt the air around her change, and she opened her eyes to find herself in the ballroom.

She was a little behind, apparently, because it was already full of people, all masked. Most were sitting at their tables, or standing around chatting. Sarah searched out the table she was to share with Jareth and his family.

 _And Arcadia._ Her mind supplied.

Bliss was already at the table, little legs swinging freely. Her toes only just brushed the ground.

She wore a yellow dress, and her hair was in braids. Sarah's dress was emerald green and fairly form conforming, nothing like the white princess dress of her youth. It was backless with a silver collar, and fairly well coated in glitter.

"Hi Sarah!" Bliss greeted Sarah, and the masked girl's eyes crinkled happily as she took her seat. A moment later the high court made their entrances, and Queen Titiania joined them, Auberon on her arm.

"They say I rule over all, but the way you drag me around may cause them to doubt." He whined, and the High queen chuckled as she slipped into her seat, smoothing her golden gown.

"You look lovely, Sarah." She complimented, smiling, and Sarah would have blushed if she could.

Jareth entered next, and it seemed to be a cue for everyone to take their seats. He smiled as he made his way towards his table, his eyes catching Sarah's before they examined her dress, widening slightly in shock.

When he was about halfway there, Arcadia entered the ballroom, and all conversation stopped completely.

She was radiant, more lovely than she had ever been. Her hair was down, running straight down her back before seeming to vanish into the inky black shadows that wrapped around her. They formed her dress and trailed behind her, writhing slightly, barely noticeable. There was a slit in the right side of her shadow dress, revealing a thin, pale leg, and the front of the dress ran low in the center, dipping to show her navel.

With so much skin revealed, it was easy to notice the largest change about Arcaida.

Her skin was nearly entirely un-fractured. The only remaining cracks were those on her hands, and those seemed to shrink slightly as Sarah watched.

Arcadia seemed to feel Sarah's eyes on her, and she met them quickly, smiling meanly. She sauntered towards the table, her steps almost predatory. Especially with the hungry look she was giving Sarah.

She reached the table after a bit, and Sarah noticed the nervous, fidgety girl behind her.

Arcadia sat down, and the girl moved to stand behind her, head bowed low. Bliss watched her knowingly, frowning slightly.

Sarah looked away from Arcadia when Jareth stood.

"Let the ball begin!"

Like something out of a Harry Potter book, their plates all filled with food. Sarah listened to the idle chatter around the table for a moment, and then Arcadia spoke. To her.

"How do you feel, Sarah?"

Sarah jumped, of course, before reaching for her book. The rest of the table had gone silent.

_'I feel sort of like I'm dying, thanks for asking.'_

The evil fey arched an eyebrow, smirking slightly.

"Well, aren't you an honest one. Cute how brave you are, even now."

"That's enough, Arcadia." Hissed Jareth, but she just arched an eyebrow.

"Sarah couldn't tell you, right? Her time's nearly up. She'll be mine very soon."

Jareth tensed up, but Sarah rested her hand on his arm.

_'It's fine, Jareth. She won't win.'_

"So much faith, Sarah. Why? What has been done to earn it?" Arcadia cooed, and Sarah tried her best to glare.

"Enough of this." Titiania murmured. "It is time to dance. Take me, Auberon. Jareth, I believe you should start with Galadriel, and then perhaps take Sarah, if she feels well. It is probably not a good idea for her to dance to any of the faster songs."

Jareth nodded and rose.

"I will be back, precious thing."

Sarah sighed as they all left, Jareth giving Arcadia one last look. Arcadia left to dance a moment later, when a rather dim looking creature who Bliss identified as the troll king approached.

As soon as they were alone, Sarah offered Arcadia's servant some food, which the girl quickly snatched up and ate.

"She can't see, or she may beat me." She explained.

"Do you have a name?" Sarah asked, well aware that she might not. Bliss hadn't.

"Clara." The girl said, and then she bowed her head again, because Arcadia was looking their way.

Sarah made it a point to slip the girl food whenever Arcadia looked away.

During a very fast, very happy song, Jareth asked Bliss to dance. She rose quickly to follow him onto the floor. It was nearly thirteen'O'clock, and Sarah was looking worse and worse.

"When are you gonna ask Sarah to dance?" Bliss snapped, glaring at Jareth as he lifted and spun her.

He sighed, glancing back at the table to see his champion slipping Arcadia's servant a sip of wine.

"I've wanted to all night, but you see how weak she is. None of these songs are slow. I think someone is tampering with the music, perhaps."

Someone, of course, meant Arcadia. But Jareth would not name names unless he had proof.

"Likely, but you did manage some protection for the last song, right?"

Jareth nodded.

"Yes, the last song will play no matter what."

"Then I need to tell you something, something Her servant told me."

His eyes narrowed, but Jareth nodded for Bliss to continue.

"Sarah's time runs out tonight."

Jareth stiffened, lifting his eyes to watch Sarah. Bliss waited a moment before continuing. The song had ended by then, and Jareth was leading her back to her seat.

"You have to say your right words. Tell her- Jareth?"

But Jareth did not reply, because the song from Sarah's preach dream was playing. Bliss groaned, sinking back into her chair, as Jareth abandoned her for Sarah. She hoped he'd understood.

Sarah rose slowly, eyes on the clock. Jareth lead her onto the dance floor, each step far too slow.

The dance began, just how she remembered it. She stuck close to him, eyes tearing slightly.

"Bliss told me that you are out of time, Sarah." He whispered. She nodded slowly, resting her forhead against his chest.

"I promised you you would see the Underground, Sarah, I can't break that promise."

Sarah looked up at him, sadly. The song continued. The clock began to chime.

One.

"I don't know how to help you, Precious thing, but I won't let you go without a fight."

Arcadia started towards them, shadows dancing around her.

Two.

"I'd tear down my whole kingdom for you, Sarah, I've done it before."

Bliss stood at the edge of the dance floor, Clara at her side.

Three.

"My world has fallen down again and again, all for you, precious thing. You said your right words, and I took him away. You said your right words again, and I gave him back."

The cracks on Sarah's mask began to connect, and she fell against Jareth, unable to stand.

Four.

"I won't let her have you. I won't lose you again."

Jareth lay her on the floor, smoothing her hair back as he knelt beside her.

Five.

_"Say your right words." The goblins said._

The mask began to fall away.

Six.

_But what no one knew is that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl, and he had given her certain powers._

Jareth leaned in close, brushing his lips across her forehead.

Seven.

_"You have no power over me!"_

Sarah closed her eyes.

Eight.

_"Fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave."_

Arcadia smiled, nearly upon them.

Nine.

"I wish you knew the right words." Bliss whispered, biting her lip.

Jareth frowned, staring down at his love.

Ten.

_"My Kingdom is as great."_

Jareth leaned down, whispering so low that not even Arcadia could hear.

Eleven.

"I love you, Sarah. I won't let her take you."

Sarah's mask fractured.

Twelve.

"I win." Arcadia hissed, standing above them.

The last of the cracks left her skin.

Thirteen.

The mask fell off, shards hitting the floor.

Sarah's eyes opened.

Arcadia gasped, stumbling back, and Sarah stood, slowly.

"You have no power over me." She hissed, stepping towards Arcadia.

Those words seemed to be the key, as Sarah was immediately hit with a rush of what felt like pure life. Though it was not visible, she could feel her life magic pouring back into her from Arcadia, so strong it nearly knocked her down. The evil fey screamed as her cracks began to return, spreading up her arms, covering every visible inch of skin. Even her face bore the hideous cracks.

She fell to the ground, clawing her skin.

"No! Give it back! I need the power!"

Sarah scrambled backwards as Arcadia started to crawl towards her. The shadows that had, until moments ago, been caressing their queen, began to jerk and writhe angrily, cutting the pale skin and spilling black, curdled blood.

Sarah nearly gagged, but she couldn't force herself to look away. Arcadia reached a pale hand towards her servant, but she could not seem to move towards her.

Her shadows had turned against her. They were wrapping around her now, spilling more of that disgusting blood.

"No!" She screeched, trying to fight them off. "I rule you! You can't!"

Then her voice died out, her eyes widening as some invisible pain claimed her. She screamed silently, and then, suddenly, she broke into pieces. The shadows covered her broken parts, and a moment later they vanished, taking her and her blood with them.

Sarah felt her knees buckle, but Jareth caught her before she could fall.

"Sarah..." He whispered, but she just shook her head.

"I'll explain everything, but not here."

Jareth seemed content with that, and Sarah glanced around. Bliss was holding Arcadia's ex-servant, who was sobbing happily. It reminded Sarah of something important.

"What will happen to her servants, Jareth?"

He frowned, glancing at the girl.

"Those like her, the ones with sanity, will be allowed to choose where they go, though most must remain Underground, as they are not mortal anymore. The... the ones who aren't sane anymore will be cared for. Some may even get better. Those that can't will receive permanent care, of course. None will ever live in pain again. I'll have someone sent to fetch them before morning."

Sarah nodded slowly, glancing up at Jareth.

"Good. Now, could you please take me to my room? I'm exhausted."

Jareth laughed, glancing at his parents. Titiania nodded knowingly.

"As you wish, precious thing." Jareth whispered, and with a slight tug in her gut, Sarah found herself in her bedroom.

"Can you stay?" She asked, peeking up at him.

Jareth leaned in and kissed her lips slowly, thoroughly.

"Always, precious." He whispered.

And he did.


	24. Three Wishes

Sarah, of course, explained everything to Jareth in the morning, when she felt well enough. She had to stop, on occasion, because he wouldn't stop kissing her, but she didn't really mind.

Felix seemed very happy to have his owner back, and he wouldn't leave her side for nearly four hours. She asked Jareth where he'd been the rest of the time, and Jareth smiled sheepishly.

"Bliss and I took turns caring for the little brat."

Sarah smiled for a moment, but then she seemed to remember something. She glared at Jareth and punched him in the arm, nearly knocking him off her bed.

He made a scandalized noise, staring at her in shock.

"That is for taking so long." She snapped, crossing her arms.

He stared at her angry face for a moment more, and then he kissed her again. Sarah very nearly forgot that she'd ever been angry. Her remaining grumpiness fled completely when Jareth pulled back, his face raw with emotion.

"I love you." He whispered, and she smiled, kissing his lips, cheeks, forehead.

"I love you too, Goblin King."

-

Clara was allowed to become a member of the Goblin Kingdom, like Bliss, but most of the other children were sent to a facility the elf queen Galadriel created, similar to a hospital but twice as comfortable.

A few were later released, but for most the damage was too much to heal. The elves made it as comfortable as they could. Clara made monthly visits, to check on those she knew and perhaps volunteer an hour or two. Sarah got the feeling she was trying to make up for something.

One day, she found Clara peeking into one of Jareth's crystals.

"What are you doing?" She asked, curiously.

"I've seen him watching people through it, why can't I?" The mortal-no-more cried, turning to Sarah.

Sarah smiled, moving to take the girl's hand.

"You turn it like this, and look into it, and it can show you your dreams."

Clara gasped, and Sarah moved to watch with her. There was a little boy, a toddler, playing with some blocks. He had mousy brown hair sticking up in tufts all over his head, and the rosiest cheeks Sarah had ever seen.

"He's perfect." Clara whispered, and she was crying. Sarah held her close, consoling her.

"Who is he?" She asked, petting the girl's hair.

"My little brother. Charlie. He was sick, she said she'd fix him if I went with her."

Sarah nodded, petting the girl's hair.

"You wanted to make sure."

Clara nodded, setting the crystal down. She was smiling through her tears.

"I'm glad he's happy."

Sarah could see that she meant it.

-

The last of the guests- Jareth's parents and the elves- left at noon the next day. Sarah watched them go, smiling. It felt great to smile again. The moment the last had gone, Jareth was at her side, lips pressed against hers.

She laughed, breathless, and stared up at him adoringly.

It was all quite sweet, which is why it was immediately interrupted.

"Go be disgusting somewhere else please!" Cried Bliss, and Jareth growled.

Sarah laughed, but before she could recommend to Jareth that they head elsewhere, they were already there. In his bedroom, to be exact.

Sarah arched an eyebrow, and Jareth laughed.

"She had a point, precious. Besides, I have promises to keep."

Sarah felt her cheeks heat, and she prayed he wouldn't notice. He did, of course, and he traced gloved fingers over them, lips twitching into a small smile.

"It pleases me, being able to see you blush. And smile. And laugh. Just hearing you speak brings me pleasure."

Sarah smiled, leaning into his touch.

"Even when I am calling you a pompous bastard?"

Jareth growled playfully, moving faster than Sarah could keep up with. In a second, she was on her back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. It was covered in stars, just like the ballroom.

"It's..." She whispered, awed.

Jareth smiled, crawling onto the bed to lay beside her.

"I found I quite liked them, so I decided to keep them." He murmured, wrapping his arms around her. "I tend to keep things I like."

Sarah sighed, staring at the moon. It was waning, and only just beginning to make it's way towards the center of the ceiling.

"Even if you didn't like me, I couldn't go back anymore, could I?" She asked, the slightest pang of sadness settling in her chest. She didn't have many friends, but her little brother would miss her. Her father would.

Jareth frowned a bit, toying with a stray strand of her hair.

"You could not stay, but I believe you could visit. People would avoid you, and you would need to avoid iron, but you could spend a few hours Aboveground without danger, if you liked."

Sarah turned to face him, eyes wide.

"Why didn't anyone tell me that? I thought... Toby..."

Jareth smiled at her, brushing his knuckles across her cheek soothingly.

"You can see Toby anytime, precious."

Sarah smiled back at him, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek. That turned into a kiss on the lips that almost immediately deepened into something hot and heavy. Jareth's hand came to rest between Sarah's shoulder blades, holding her close.

Soon there was a light pressure on her lips, his tongue seeking entrance. She opened up, and let hers meet his. Sarah had never experienced anything like kissing Jareth. There was no proper way to describe it, really. It was electric, filling her entire body with an intense, hot feeling. She moaned into his mouth, and he moved slightly, positioning her on her back, with him on top of her. All of this, and he didn't break the kiss once. Once she was on her back, legs parted around his- a feat that required some light dress hiking- Jareth moved to kiss and nip at her neck, working his way down towards her chest.

She ran her fingers through his hair, something she'd always wanted to do, and marveled for a moment at how soft it was, like strands of the finest silk.

She murmured as much, and Jareth laughed a bit against her collar-bone. Then he bit her, just a little, and Sarah forgot what she was thinking about. She really wanted him to do that again.

She told him so, and he smirked at her before doing as she wished.

His teeth might have felt better than his tongue did. It didn't hurt, per say, but it was a shock to her system, the light scrape and pressure of his sharp teeth. She'd noticed their sharpness before, but never had thought much on what that would mean if he were to use them on her.

"Jareth!" She gasped, when he reached the swell of her breast and bit down a little bit harder. He kissed and sucked the red mark he left, his hips rocking slightly when she called his name. He pulled back after spending some time kissing and biting, grinning at her.

His breathing was almost as ragged as hers.

"Tell me you want me to continue, Sarah." He whispered, an order and a request.

Sarah had never loved being told what to do so much.

"Keep going." She begged, and he did.

He pulled her into a sitting position by her shoulders and began undoing the back of her dress. She helpfully lifted her arms for him to tug it off. He sat back for a moment after that, just looking at her. She still wore a bra and panties- something she favored over the odd, old fashioned undergarments that had been offered too her Underground- but he seemed quite taken with what he could see.

After a moment, he tugged at the bra.

"How do you remove this?" He asked, brow furrowed.

Sarah laughed a little, before reaching back and unclasping the bra, letting it fall from her chest. She slid it from her arms before shyly glancing up, taking in Jareth's reaction.

And what a reaction it was. His eyes had darkened considerably, taking in her exposed breasts. He licked his lips, which were parted slightly as he looked at her. After a moment, Sarah shifted nervously, and his eyes snapped up to hers, a dangerous little smirk forming on his lips before he moved forwards again, gentle pushing Sarah back onto her back.

She gasped when he lightly ran a hand over one of her breasts, closing her eyes and feeling her cheeks heat. When she felt his mouth a moment later, so close to the center of her right breast, she moaned. He toyed with her for a moment, avoiding the sensitive buds on her chest, and soon she grew impatient.

"Please, Jareth." She groaned, hands gripping at his hair. He grinned at her for a moment, and then his mouth closed on one of the hardened peaks, sucking and nibbling lightly.

Sarah hadn't known she could feel so good. It was heavenly, and she showed him as much, tossing her head back in bliss. He did not stay there long though, quickly moving to kiss his way down her stomach. He stopped at the edge of her underwear, glancing questioningly up at her.

"Yes!" She cried, and he grinned again as he tugged the fabric down to her knees with his teeth before removing them with his fingers, which, Sarah noticed, were no longer covered by his gloves.

He looked at her for a moment, smiling fondly, and then kissed her calf.

"You're gorgeous." He whispered, and Sarah melted into the bed.

He moved up again, and Sarah held her breath, tensing slightly. He kissed her inner thigh first, his lips feather light at first. He stayed there, kissing and nipping at her thighs, until Sarah was, once again, limp and lax on the mattress.

Then he moved up, pressing a quick kiss to her mound before parting her folds with his fingers. His tongue found the sensitive bud of her clit, pressing and twirling quickly, and Sarah fought to stay still. Her legs tried to close on their own, so intense was her pleasure, and her hips rose slightly on the bed. Jareth's hand pressed gently but firmly on her belly, pinning her to the bed as his mouth worked.

With his free hand, he slowly began to work a finger in and out of her, spreading her wetness around until he felt her ready for another. His tongue was speeding up now, working Sarah up a steadily rising peak. She was on edge, every nerve alive with sensation, and at some point Jareth had added a third finger.

Then he suddenly hooked his fingers slightly, up towards her belly, and pressed hard with his tongue against her clit, and something in Sarah came undone, her orgasm crashing down on her like a wave.

She cried out, back arching slightly, and then lay prone on the bed while she tried to catch her breath. Jareth moved up again, bracing himself on his arms over her, and after a moment Sarah opened her eyes again, looking up at him. He looked wild.

His eyes were almost black with lust, his already wild hair disheveled, and his chest rose and fell sharply. Sarah's wetness shined on his lips, which he slowly licked clean as she watched.

"Oh, God." She whispered, and he grinned.

"Are you ready?" He whispered, and she nodded slowly.

He moved a pillow under her back, angling her hips slightly, and then he gently parted her legs. She wasn't sure when he'd gotten naked, but she could see very clearly that he was. He was as big as his pants had made him seem, and it made Sarah slightly nervous, but she willed her muscles to relax.

He thrust forwards, slowly, and Sarah gasped at the sensation. It did not hurt, per say, though there was an odd stretching sensation. He slowly sank into her, watching her face. Whenever she'd tense, he'd pause, waiting for her to relax, before continuing. When he was finally fully seated inside of her, he stopped and looked up at her.

"Do you hurt?" He asked.

Sarah shook her head, trying to calm her heartbeat.

"No, you can move. It feels... odd."

He smiled at her, and then he was moving, slowly at first, and then-

"Oh!" She gasped, her thighs twitching slightly.

Jareth smiled, shifting slightly, and rolled his hips slightly. Sarah's hips jerked against his, a breathless moan escaping her.

After that, Jareth began to move in earnest. Sarah ran her hands threw his hair, scratched at his back, and kissed everywhere she could reach. One of Jareth's hands was entwined in Sarah's hair, the other gripping her hip as he thrust into her.

He pulled her head back slowly, making her meet his eyes so that he could kiss her deeply. Everything was hot, fast, and hard.

Sarah felt that peak drawing close once again, her cries growing louder as it did. Jareth moved the hand in her hair down between her legs and began rubbing her clit in sync with his thrusts. Sarah's thigh muscles began to twitch, her calves tightening on Jareth's back.

"Jareth!" She gasped, gripping holes in the sheets. "Please!"

He smiled at her and leaned down, kissing her neck gently. With his next thrust, he bit down, and Sarah came undone in his arms. Her back arched, and she shouted his name for the whole castle to hear. Jareth stiffened and moaned his release a moment later, shaking slightly above her. When she eventually came down from her high, she was on her side, Jareth's arms wrapped around her. He was smiling, toying with her hair.

"Wow. I had no idea sex could feel like that." Sarah muttered, stretching her pleasantly sore limbs.

"You expected pain, your first time?" Jareth asked, pushing her hair back and out of her face.

She nodded, shifting a bit. There was no pain, really, just an unfamiliar soreness throughout her body.

"I take pleasure from giving it, precious. I would not let you hurt throughout your first sexual encounter. I promise you, unless you ask for pain, you will not receive it."

Sarah blushed a bit when she processed his meaning. She laughed a little, moving closer to him.

"Oh, and Sarah?"

She looked up questioningly, furrowing her brow.

"It may be an inopportune time, but would you do me the honor of becoming my queen?"

Sarah stared up at him for a long time, lips parted in shock, but after a moment she smiled lovingly up at him.

"Are you proposing to me?"

Jareth nodded, slow and serious. Sarah could see the worry in his eyes, the fear of being rejected again.

"In that case, yes, I will be your queen. But we can't do that without an agreement."

Jareth sat up slightly, looking down at Sarah curiously.

"Do I have power over you, Jareth?"

His breath left him in a loud gust, and he sunk back into the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"You always have, Sarah." He whispered, and there was pain on his face as he said it. Sarah knew why.

"Okay then. I love you."

"I love you too." There was still hurt there, still fresh after so long.

"And Jareth?"

"Yes?"

She sat up and braced her arms on each side of his head, staring down at him.

"I don't fear you anymore, I'll rarely obey you, and I don't really want a slave. But I do love you. You have power over me, too."

Jareth stared up at her, his eyes widening, and then he smiled, showing each pointed tooth, and pulled her close, kissing her once, hard.

"I have never loved anyone the way I love you, precious thing. May I give you your dreams?"

"Don't be stupid, Jareth." Sarah said, resting her head on his chest.

She put a finger on his mouth when it opened for an offended reply.

"You already did."


	25. Extra Scene

Jareth sighed as he walked, his hands full of broken porcelain. Very few ever found the room he searched for more than once in their existence, but Jareth had been there seven times.

It was a room of lost things, so it only made sense that it was also, more often than not, lost.

Jareth found the door, something that had been lost to nature. He entered the room, making sure that the door remained open behind him. The walls were lined with broken mirrors. The ceiling held tangled wind chimes that made sound with no breeze.

Jareth walked deeper and deeper into the room, passing by the newer lost things and into things long forgotten. Precious jewels littered the floor now and again, along with old dolls, pictures of people long lost to history. Finally, Jareth stopped.

He stood there for a moment, staring at the shards of broken mask in his hands, and then he threw them up, into the air. Some stayed there, held by an invisible magic, while others scattered themselves about the room.

Jareth let out a deep breath and turned, leaving the room without a backwards glance.

The door shut, casting the room into darkness. The shards of mask lay still on the ground.

-

In a place nobody ever dares to go, a castle crumbled to the ground, all life safely removed from within. Once all was reduced to dust, a lake was revealed, having sat in secret beneath this dark kingdom for many a year. The water was clear, and the bottom was covered in bones.

Around the edges of this lake of bones, the shadows begin to fester and stir, taking on the shape of a man. Several of the bones from the bottom of the lake rose up and attached themselves to the shadow man, forming a sort of armor. The only part uncovered was it's head, where a face ought to be. There was nothing but writhing, inky blackness there.

Once his armor was complete, the shadow left his home at the lake, walking towards the road that would take him to the last piece of his armor.

-

At that same time, in a different place, a sleeping king suddenly stirred, gripping his wife's arm tightly. His eyes opened, briefly, and he whispered something before falling back into his death-sleep.

"It is freed."

-

And inside the Castle beyond the Goblin City, in a room of long lost things, a mask began to piece itself back together, preparing for it's next wearer to come and take it's turn.


End file.
